Lots of people have contacted me about child poverty and action that can be taken to tackle the problem. Poverty wastes potential, hurts children, harms their health and damages their self-esteem and wellbeing.

The Government is committed to improve opportunity, drive down poverty and give all children the best start in life. A ministerial taskforce is charged with coordinating action across Government, underpinned by the new child poverty unit in the Cabinet Office. The task force is examining how to remove barriers to opportunity for every child and addressing child poverty will be at the heart of this work. The King’s Speech, delivered on 17 July, unveiled plans, which I welcome, to establish breakfast clubs to give every primary school child a healthy meal to start the day.

The Budget, delivered on 30 October, contained an additional £1 billion from next year to extend the Household Support Fund; money that local authorities should ensure reaches those who need it most. The Government will also reduce the level of debt repayments that can be taken from a household’s Universal Credit payment each month from 25% to 15% of their standard allowance. Thanks to this change, 1.2 million of the poorest households will keep more of their award each month, lifting children out of poverty.

I understand that there are other steps that you would like to see taken, for example by repealing the two-child limit on social security payments. However, it is important to properly cost all commitments. The consequences of the previous Government’s September 2022 mini budget demonstrated clearly that when a government makes unfunded commitments, then the economy is damaged and working people end up paying the price. That mini-budget forced up both mortgages and rents and left more families facing hardship.

Delivering economic growth is the only way that we will improve prosperity, put more money into people’s pockets and transform our public services. In doing so we can turn the tide on rising poverty levels, so that every child no matter where they come from has the best start in life.

Best wishes

Rt Hon Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds South
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland