“All of this highlights the need for a well-constructed plan, not just pious words and hollow pledges. We’ll have to wait and see whether the UK Government’s Taskforce comes up with something concrete and viable. However, a radical solution, even if proposed, seems unlikely to be seriously followed up on. It’s simply too expensive and not a high enough priority right now.”
Child poverty
Political posturing over child poverty
Over 4m British children live in relative poverty and they are four times more likely to suffer mental health issues than better-off kids. Ending the two-child benefit cap is just one remedy.
Free school meals and child poverty
‘Child poverty is a systemic and deep routed issue that has been prevalent in our society for too long. However, universal free school meals all year round are unlikely to be the most effective way of tackling this issue.’
Poverty and coronavirus in Edinburgh: solutions in shared humanity
Edinburgh Poverty Commission is an independent group working to define the steps required to end poverty in the capital. It has been listening to people and organisations in the city over the past few weeks to hear at first hand the profound impacts of the Covid-19 emergency on people living in poverty, now and in the future, and issues its interim report today.
Another Johnson untruth on poverty
‘Boris Johnson’s bold claim about child poverty needs some careful consideration – it is a very partial truth that completely misrepresents wider realities.’
Scottish Child Payment is welcome
‘How the Scottish government plans to fund the £180 million policy remains to be seen. But after years of cuts to UK social security, it is a pleasant change to see significant new efforts to reduce child poverty’.