Two million children in poverty due to parents' work barriers, charity warns

08 February 2023 , 00:01

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Child poverty in the UK hit a record high even before the pandemic misery began (Image: Getty Images)

Almost two million children could be trapped in poverty because their parents face at least one major barrier to work, according to new research.

The charity Action for Children said the research clashes with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's statement that creating jobs "is the best anti-poverty strategy".

Researchers found work is often not a route out of hardship for families where both parents or a single parent is already working full-time, have long-term sickness or disability, or caring responsibilities.

Indeed, 440,000 children are in poverty despite their parents or single parent working full-time, while an additional 641,000 youngsters are in poverty where at least one parent is disabled.

The research found 1.36 million children in poverty are in families with one barrier to work, while 495,000 youngsters are in families with two barriers, and 95,000 are in those that face three.

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Two million children in poverty due to parents' work barriers, charity warns

440,000 children are in poverty despite their parents or single parent working full-time (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The report also found the benefit cap, which limits the total benefits a household can receive even if their entitlement would otherwise be higher, is a "big driver" of deeper poverty.

It recommends abolishing the cap completely, and raising the child element of universal credit by at least £15 a week.

The researchers estimate these measures would lift 340,000 children out of poverty, while costing the Government £4 billion.

Imran Hussain, the charity's director of policy and campaigns, said work is not the "silver bullet" for poverty that it is often presented as.

"To improve the lives and life chances of all children we need to be honest about why so many are growing up in poverty and hardship," he said.

"We must confront the myth that everyone in poverty can simply work their way out of it.

"Our findings show that when it comes to supporting families in financial distress, work is simply not the silver bullet it is often presented as. We need more realism and less rhetoric from Government in how we talk about the relationship between poverty and work.

"And we need a social safety net that ensures families can meet their essential costs and restores the link between a family's needs and the support that is available to them."

A Government spokesperson said: “We know the best way out of poverty is through good work, better skills, and higher wages, and our network of Jobcentres continues to help millions, including parents, to access flexible job opportunities and higher-paid roles through job progression support.

“Latest figures show that there are 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs compared to 2019/20 and we are supporting millions of vulnerable families with direct Cost of Living Payments, on top of raising benefits by 10.1% in April.”