Frustrated by the ‘stark lack of focus’ from the Conservative and Labour leaders during their election campaigning, the organisations and charities committed to ending child poverty, have written a letter calling for hardship to be at the top of the new Prime Minister’s to-do list.
The letter has been signed by organisations including the Joseph Rowntree Trust (JRF), Trusell Trust, Citizens Advice, Gingerbread and Barnardos.
It states, ‘This general election is taking place against a backdrop of deep and growing hardship. In the six months to May, 7 million low-income households were forced to go without essentials like food, adequate clothing and basic toiletries, and over the past year, food banks in the Trussell Trust network distributed a record 3.1 million emergency food parcels.
' Most shockingly of all, almost 4 million people, including 1 million children, experienced destitution in 2022 – more than double the rate from five years previously.
‘Such levels of hardship are unacceptable in the UK and cannot be allowed to continue.
‘Yet right now there is a stark lack of focus from either of you on how you intend to tackle these issues if elected as Prime Minister next month. Families facing such levels of hardship cannot wait for the promise of growth, nor should they have to – the UK is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and has the resources to act now. Failing to do so is a political choice. ’
Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s chief executive, commented, ‘Millions of families across the UK are struggling to afford basic necessities – be that food, toiletries or for many, even a bed to sleep in. Children growing up in poverty go to school hungry, they miss out on opportunities to learn and struggle with poor health long into adulthood.
‘We call on the next UK government to tackle this issue head-on, including ending the two-child benefit cap – which would immediately lift 300,000 children out of poverty - and committing to an essentials guarantee in universal credit. This would be an investment in the health and future prospects of millions of children.’
