Child Poverty

Child Poverty – Government Commitment

The Government is committed to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. A new network to tackle child poverty in London has now been launced.             See HERE

Child Poverty Unit

Child Poverty in London

Child Poverty Definition

The London Child Poverty Pledge

Child Poverty Tool Kit 

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Child Poverty Unit
In October 2007 the Government announced the creation of the Child Poverty Unit. The unit brings together experts from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Children, Schools and Families and works closely with the Treasury, key stakeholders, local and regional government, including Government Office for London to provide a single point of contact on child poverty issues.

Child Poverty in London
In London child poverty has fallen by less than any other region in the UK. The three-year period, 2004/05 – 2006/07, saw 41 per cent of London’s children living under the poverty line after housing costs were accounted for, compared with 30 per cent of children in the UK.

Child Poverty Definition
The most widely used definition of poverty is living in a household that has a disposable income below 60 per cent of the median income. The median is the mid-point of the income distribution.

The London Child Poverty Pledge
London’s Child Poverty Ministers Stephen Timms, Beverley Hughes and Jane Kennedy launched the London Child poverty pledge on the 15th July.

The ‘London Pledge’, asks services that work with children and families, such as jobcentres, schools, Children’s Centres and other local services to sign up to a set of specific actions to help London’s families raise their incomes and lift themselves and their children out of poverty.

See the Every Child Matters website for more details of the pledge and how to sign up 

GOL has signed the Pledge - see  here.

Child Poverty Tool Kit
The toolkit is designed for use by LAs and their partners to support them in understanding the wider context and the local situation when looking at their local strategy to tackle child poverty. The Toolkit includes policy briefs, data tools and good practice guides. In particular there is a focus to help partners understand the impact of proposals on child poverty and help them to develop effective service design, commissioning and delivery.

Further information

London Child Poverty Commission 

Department for Children Schools and Families

London Councils

DWP