‘Help working families who are struggling’

Britain’s child poverty strategy needs to focus on supporting working families who are struggling, according to the Resolution Foundation.

The thinktank’s ‘working poverty out’ report has found that even though fewer working families are struggling, they face a higher risk of poverty compared to two decades ago.

A changing landscape

The number of struggling families has dropped significantly since the turn of the millennium – from 50% in 2000 to 30% in 2022.

The Resolution Foundation says 600,000 children were lifted out of poverty between 1998 and 2009 when the previous Labour government was in power.

This has largely been down to more parents entering the workforce, especially single parents.

Poverty risks

The risk of living in poverty has:

• fallen from 43% to 34% for single parents who work part-time
• risen from 11% to 14% for ‘one-and-a-half’ earner couples
• soared from 30% to 40% for couples where only one adult works

Rather than expecting parents to move into work as their children get older, the Resolution Foundation says families require specific support to help them with barriers.

At the moment:

• three quarters have primary school-aged children
• half have a child under the age of five
• close to half have an adult with a disability or long-term health issue
• 30% have a child with a disability

Action, not words

The report also shows that another adult moving into work has the biggest impact on struggling families – a fifth are able to escape poverty when this happens.

But the Resolution Foundation says action is needed right across the board to make the biggest difference.

Mike Brewer, interim chief executive, commented: “The government's new child poverty strategy will need to confront these challenges, which require action across a broad front.

“As well as the obvious moves, like boosting childcare support – particularly for primary school-aged children – and making it easier to commute between workplaces, schools and nurseries, strengthening workers' rights should help reduce the risks involved in changing jobs.”

He added: “The government will need deep pockets, and action on multiple fronts across employment, housing and benefits, to lift significantly more children out of poverty.”

What’s being done?

The government is forming a taskforce to address growing child poverty levels by gathering information from families facing difficulties, frontline workers and various charities.

By listening to their stories, the government aims to develop a strategy to tackle the deep-rooted causes of child poverty by focusing on key areas like employment, housing, health, childcare and education.

Support for parents

It can be hard to make ends meet, especially if you have children. But you don’t have to struggle alone – you might be able to get help.

Food banks

If you’re struggling to afford groceries, you might benefit from a food bank. Your local food bank will be able to tell you who can make a referral in your area.

Your council

In England, every council has been given some money through the household support fund to help those worst affected by the cost-of-living crisis. You can apply for help until 31 March – contact your local authority to find out what support is available.

Energy suppliers

If you’ve fallen behind on your energy bills, your supplier might be able to help. Most of them have financial support schemes to help those who are really struggling.

Do you need money help?

If you’re finding it hard to cover your bills and essentials, it might be time to ask for help.

We give advice online or you can give us a ring. We can help get you get back on track by creating a realistic budget, checking you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to or talking you through some debt solutions that might be suitable for you.

All our advice is free of charge. Some debt solutions are free and others have a fee.

There’s lots of useful information on our website too.