No ‘secure future’ for children in poverty this budget

Despite some positive steps, this year’s Budget represents a failed opportunity to bravely address child poverty, says the Child Poverty Action Group.

We all want to see children thrive, yet families locked into poverty will not see any relief from this year's budget.

Of the child poverty reduction initiatives announced by the Government today, two were announced in last year's budget.  Many families in the deepest poverty won't be eligible to receive the new Cost of Living payment, leaving them with nothing extra, at a time when the cost of groceries and other essentials are soaring. 

While there are some important changes overall, the budget contains few significant initiatives to address child poverty, despite the obvious pressures being faced by the poorest families”. CPAG Health spokesperson Professor Innes Asher says

“While it’s encouraging to see large investments in healthcare, this needs to go hand in hand with other initiatives to reduce child poverty, especially for disabled children,” says CPAG Health spokesperson Professor Innes Asher. “While there is large investment into services, there is limited direct relief for families”

“The Government said this Budget is about Health. Poverty is one of the biggest determinants of health and wellbeing. We were hoping for something brave.”