40 organisations back call for child benefit increase

The Make Child Benefit Count campaign, which calls for child benefit to be increased and paid at the same rate for all children, is growing in strength and now has the support of 40 organisations and thousands of parents.

A coalition of children’s charities, pressure groups and trade unions are backing the campaign which was launched by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) to mark this year’s sixtieth anniversary of child benefit and its predecessor family allowances.

Newspaper reports have also suggested that an increase in child benefit for second and third children will be part of a package of family-friendly policies being drawn up by Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman.

Thousands of people have already signed a postcard to the Chancellor Gordon Brown at the campaign’s website www.makechildbenefitcount.org urging him to ensure that younger children get the same rate of child benefit as the oldest child.

At the moment child benefit is worth £17.45 for the first or oldest child but just £11.70 for all other children. Paying the same rate of child benefit for all children would benefit four million families with two or more children.

CPAG’s Chief Executive Kate Green said:

“We’re delighted that the campaign has received so much support, not only from the 40 organisations who have joined the coalition, but from parents too.

“The time has come to increase child benefit and pay it at the same rate for all children, not least because it would help support larger families which is vital if child poverty is to be truly ended once and for all. We will be keeping up the momentum over the autumn before delivering all the postcards and messages received to the Chancellor.”

Many parents who have signed up to support the campaign have also pointed out that the present system fails to recognise that family spending on second and subsequent children is not significantly lower than for the eldest child.

One mother from Middlesbrough says:

“I greatly appreciate and rely on child benefit to make ends meet but disagree with the way we are paid more for the oldest child. They all cost the same to feed.”

Another mum, from Bedfordshire, comments:

“Having a second child stretches a family's finances much further. The added complications that childcare brings for more than one child makes returning to work harder and sometimes impossible for mothers. Unfortunately the ‘economies of scale’ theory doesn't hold water where families are concerned.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The campaign is being supported by a growing number of organisations including: Child Poverty Action Group, End Child Poverty, TUC, Save the Children, Citizens Advice, Family Welfare Association, One Parent Families, National Family & Parenting Institute, T&G, One Parent Families Scotland, National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, Children in Wales, National Union of Students, Barnardo’s, Communication Workers Union, YWCA England & Wales, 4Children, Daycare Trust, UK Coalition Against Poverty, ATD Fourth World, Ethnic Minority Foundation, Poverty Alliance, Labour Students, The National Youth Agency, National Children’s Bureau, NCH, Contact a Family, National Deaf Children’s Society, National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers, Citizens Advice Scotland, Disability Alliance, Compass, Fawcett Society, Children’s Links, Pre-school Learning Alliance, Church Action on Poverty, Gingerbread, Housing Justice, Twins & Multiple Births Association and Christian Socialist Movement.

2. More information about the campaign including our policy briefing, press releases, a link to the 1946 public information film that promoted family allowances and an interview with one of the first mothers to be paid family allowances can be found on CPAG’s child benefit page at:
www.cpag.org.uk/makechildbenefitcount

For further information please contact:
Alex Belardinelli
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk