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| Child poverty: Definition could include family breakdown | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Family breakdown, drug addiction, debt and education results are among the factors that could be used to measure child poverty in future, ministers say. | |
| Recent figures showed fewer children in poverty - but largely because falling wages have narrowed the gap between the poorest and average earners. | Recent figures showed fewer children in poverty - but largely because falling wages have narrowed the gap between the poorest and average earners. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith says this income-based method of measuring poverty is too simple. | |
| He is launching a consultation on how to include other factors. | |
| But Labour accused him of attempting to "wipe out" the progress they had made on cutting child poverty when they were in power. | |
| "If ministers move an inch from the Child Poverty Act they supported in opposition, we will know they are - whilst giving an enormous tax cut to the richest in society," said shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne. | "If ministers move an inch from the Child Poverty Act they supported in opposition, we will know they are - whilst giving an enormous tax cut to the richest in society," said shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne. |
| 'No different' | 'No different' |
| A child is considered to be living in poverty if their household income is less than 60% of averages wages. | A child is considered to be living in poverty if their household income is less than 60% of averages wages. |
| Last year that figure equated to £251 per week, which meant 2.3 million children were living in poverty. | Last year that figure equated to £251 per week, which meant 2.3 million children were living in poverty. |
| That was 300,000 fewer children than the year before - but the reduction was due to average incomes falling rather than poorer families becoming better off. | That was 300,000 fewer children than the year before - but the reduction was due to average incomes falling rather than poorer families becoming better off. |
| Mr Duncan Smith will say that life is unchanged for these children and a broader definition of child poverty is needed. | Mr Duncan Smith will say that life is unchanged for these children and a broader definition of child poverty is needed. |
| This would be one that looks at joblessness, educational failure and family breakdown as well as income. | This would be one that looks at joblessness, educational failure and family breakdown as well as income. |
| Mr Duncan Smith is expected to say: "Across the UK, there are children living in circumstances that simply cannot be captured by assessing whether their household has more or less than 60% of the average income. | Mr Duncan Smith is expected to say: "Across the UK, there are children living in circumstances that simply cannot be captured by assessing whether their household has more or less than 60% of the average income. |
| "There are many factors that impact on a child's wellbeing and ability to succeed in life... and measuring income alone does little to represent the experience of those in poverty. | "There are many factors that impact on a child's wellbeing and ability to succeed in life... and measuring income alone does little to represent the experience of those in poverty. |
| "As we saw earlier this year - when the child poverty level dropped by 2% - a fall in the median income may lift a family out of poverty on paper. | "As we saw earlier this year - when the child poverty level dropped by 2% - a fall in the median income may lift a family out of poverty on paper. |
| "Yet at a closer look, real incomes did not rise and absolute poverty was unchanged. For the 300,000 children no longer in poverty according to the official statistics, life was no different." | "Yet at a closer look, real incomes did not rise and absolute poverty was unchanged. For the 300,000 children no longer in poverty according to the official statistics, life was no different." |
| Held to account | Held to account |
| But Chris Wellings, from Save the Children, said any new method of assessing child poverty must not be too broad to gauge progress or lack of it on the problem. | But Chris Wellings, from Save the Children, said any new method of assessing child poverty must not be too broad to gauge progress or lack of it on the problem. |
| "The previous measure was very sharp, it allowed us to hold the government to account," he said. | "The previous measure was very sharp, it allowed us to hold the government to account," he said. |
| "Any new measure needs to retain income and needs to retain an ability for us to really hold the government to account for their action on child poverty." | "Any new measure needs to retain income and needs to retain an ability for us to really hold the government to account for their action on child poverty." |
| The Child Poverty Action Group said almost two-thirds of children living in poverty were in households where someone was in employment. | The Child Poverty Action Group said almost two-thirds of children living in poverty were in households where someone was in employment. |
| Building more affordable homes and reducing childcare costs were the keys to reducing child poverty, the charity added. | Building more affordable homes and reducing childcare costs were the keys to reducing child poverty, the charity added. |
| Mr Duncan Smith will launch the consultation at the Clyde Children's Centre in Deptford, south-east London. | Mr Duncan Smith will launch the consultation at the Clyde Children's Centre in Deptford, south-east London. |