Child Poverty Action Group calls for education funding targeted at families

2.03.10

Commenting on today’s findings by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Imran Hussain, Head of Policy at Child Poverty Action Group said today:

“Today’s research from the IFS highlights that Pupil Premiums are not the best way to tackle the vast gap in educational attainment between rich and poor students. In fact, under certain circumstances, they can make things worse.

"The best way to close the educational divide is to tackle the family poverty that creates it in the first place. Spending money to subsidise schools to mitigate the effects of poverty does not make sense on its own. Raising family incomes above the poverty line in the first place is critical.”

Notes for editors

• CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
• Child Poverty Action Group’s manifesto, published in March 2009, can be found at: www.cpag.org.uk/manifesto
• CPAG is one of over 150 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.
• For up-to-date background facts and stats on UK poverty, visit: www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/

For further information please contact:
Kuntal Biswas
CPAG Policy, Rights and Advocacy Team
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
kbiswas@cpag.org.uk