The new child poverty unit, based in the Cabinet Office, will bring together external child poverty expert and cross-government officials to create an “ambitious strategy” to tackle rising child poverty.
The unit will report into a new taskforce led by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall.
“The new unit will explore how we can use all the available levers we have across government to create an ambitious strategy,” Starmer said, adding that secretaries of state from across government will meet to begin work on the strategy in the coming weeks.
The first steps taken by the taskforce will be to consider how levers related to household income as well as employment, housing, children’s health, childcare and education “can be used to improve children’s experiences and chances at life”.
Today we’ve announced the next steps on delivering an ambitious strategy to tackle child poverty, which I’ll be leading with @bphillipsonMP
— Liz Kendall (@leicesterliz) July 17, 2024
We will turn the tide on rising poverty levels, so that every child has the best start in life. https://t.co/4gRB39lVl9
Starmer said: “For too long children have been left behind, and no decisive action has been taken to address the root causes of poverty. This is completely unacceptable - no child should be left hungry, cold or have their future held back.
“That’s why we’re prioritising work on an ambitious child poverty strategy and my ministers will leave no stone unturned to give every child the very best start at life.”
Kendall has met with children’s charity leaders including representatives from Save the Children, Action for Children, Barnados, TUC, End Child Poverty Coalition, Resolution Foundation and UNICEF to seek sector views on shaping the strategy.
She said: “We will turn the tide on rising poverty levels, so that every child no matter where they come from has the best start in life.”
Paul Carberry, chief executive at Action for Children, said he was “pleased” to meet with Kendall.
“It’s right that the new taskforce and child poverty unit works across government to look at the wider drivers and solutions to child poverty.
“This should include breaking down the barriers to work many parents face and investing in social security.
“A strategy for tackling child poverty must start with abolishing the cruel and unnecessary two-child limit. This would immediately lift around 300,000 children out of poverty.”
Phillipson added: “Our taskforce will work closely with parents, charities and civil organisations as part our ambitious strategy to remove the stain of child poverty from our country.”
According to latest government figures, 700,000 children began living in poverty since 2010 with more than four million children now growing up in a low-income family.
Ahead of the general election, former Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield, chair of the Centre for Young Lives, urged the next government to establish a poverty unit sitting within Downing Street as part of a 10-point plan to halve child poverty by 2029.
