Child Poverty

The fall in British unemployment figures has been heralded by supporters of capitalism, but this is not the solution to the poverty of the working class as these figures show. 'But now two-thirds of children in poverty are from households where at least one parent is in work, compared to only two-fifths in 1996. Over the longer term increases in working age benefits are being capped at 1 per cent and earnings growth has been weak - lower than CPI inflation in almost every month for the past 6 years. The IFS has estimated that by 2020 child poverty will increase back to levels seen at the turn of the century, largely driven by the decision to switch to CPI uprating of benefits (which in the long run will mean that benefit income is expected to grow more slowly than earnings and low income families, dependent on benefits will fall behind).' (Independent, 1 July) By the year 2020 child poverty will be the same as 20 years previously. Hardly a cause for celebration is it? RD