Former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown will address the issue of child poverty in Britain today, labeling it a “shameful epidemic.” Brown will highlight the significant impact of child poverty on social division and its threat to the country’s economy. With approximately 4.5 million children currently living in poverty, experts warn that this number could rise without immediate government intervention.
Brown emphasizes that the escalating child poverty crisis poses a severe threat to the UK’s economic future due to the failure to prepare young individuals for the workforce. He has advocated for the elimination of the two-child benefit limit, a policy criticized for perpetuating child poverty. Opposition figures like Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are considering revising or abolishing this austerity measure as part of a review on child poverty.
According to the Resolution Foundation, child poverty rates are projected to reach a record 34%, affecting around 4.8 million children by the end of the decade if swift action is not taken. The think-tank underlines that even implementing partial measures, such as transitioning to a three-child limit, would still result in higher child poverty rates by the decade’s end.
Brown’s support for full abolition of the two-child benefit limit is expected to intensify pressure on the Chancellor to address this issue in the upcoming Budget. On the 60th anniversary of the Child Poverty Action Group, Brown will assert that elevating 500,000 children out of poverty is an attainable goal.
New research cited by Brown reveals widespread public support for combating child poverty. Polling conducted by the 38 Degrees campaign group indicates that 64% of voters would endorse imposing higher taxes on gambling companies to fund reductions in child poverty. This proposal, backed by Brown, suggests that up to £3.2 billion could be generated to eliminate the two-child benefit limit.
Brown is likely to call for the establishment of a permanent UK-wide anti-poverty alliance involving charities, foundations, businesses, and faith groups to collaborate with governments across the four nations to address the escalating child poverty crisis. He stresses the urgency of lifting half a million children out of poverty by next April and effectively tackling Britain’s alarming child poverty rates.
The government is set to release the findings of its child poverty review shortly, focusing on aspects like the two-child benefit limit. Initiatives such as expanding free school meals and introducing new breakfast clubs for primary school children have been highlighted as potential support measures to aid vulnerable children.
