Nursery World - Child poverty target is 'three quarters short'

The Government's goal of eradicating child poverty by 2020 will only be met a quarter of the way at that stage, claims a leading social policy charity. A report published last week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said that halving child poverty by 2010 would require spending an extra 4 billion a year on benefits and tax credits, and the 2020 aim 'will be far harder'. It said that despite the Government's progress so far, a further 40 billion investment would be needed to hit the 2020 target.

A report published last week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said that halving child poverty by 2010 would require spending an extra 4 billion a year on benefits and tax credits, and the 2020 aim 'will be far harder'. It said that despite the Government's progress so far, a further 40 billion investment would be needed to hit the 2020 target.

The JRF emphasised that the Government's long-term goals could only be achieved by permanently improving parents' employment and wage situations.

'These targets can not be met through benefits alone,' said the report's author Donald Hirsch. 'Families must be helped to im-prove their market earnings at the same time as getting extra assistance if their income falls short.'

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