Child Poverty Action Groups makes Emergency Budget demands on Chancellor

20.06.10

Child Poverty Action Group has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne, calling on him to ensure fairness for low income families with action on the deficit and detailing the actions needed to help progress towards the Government’s goal of ending child poverty by 2020.

In the letter, the Head of Policy, Rights and Advocacy for Child Poverty Action Group, Imran Hussain, says:

“Child poverty is costly for individuals and society alike. Cuts to support and services for low income families are dangerously short-termist and will produce long-term social and economic losses and costs for the UK. If poverty reduction is not supported by deficit reduction strategy and decisions, then future governments will have greater costs and lower revenue as a result of worse health, worse educational outcomes and major barriers to employment.

“As a member of the End Child Poverty Campaign we call on you to make explicit in your budget statement the consideration given to national and local government obligations under the Child Poverty Act and the socioeconomic duty of the Equality Act; and to explain how the measures taken in the Budget will protect low income families and make further progress towards a reduction in child poverty.”

Notes for editors

• Read CPAG's pre-Budget letter (144 KB Word doc) to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne.
• Child Poverty Action Group’s manifesto, published in March 2009, can be found at: www.cpag.org.uk/manifesto
• For up-to-date background facts and stats on UK poverty, visit: www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/
• 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.
• 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 further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302 
tnichols@cpag.org.uk