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Alan Milburn says child poverty 'no longer problem of the workless and work-shy' Alan Milburn says child poverty 'no longer problem of the workless and work-shy'
(35 minutes later)
Working parents in Britain "simply do not earn enough to escape poverty", the government's social mobility tsar Alan Milburn has warned.Working parents in Britain "simply do not earn enough to escape poverty", the government's social mobility tsar Alan Milburn has warned.
Two-thirds of poor children were now from families where an adult worked, his report found. Two-thirds of poor children are now from families where an adult works, his report found.
Many low and middle-income children faced being "worse off" than their parents because of falling earnings and rising prices, Mr Milburn warned. Many low and middle-income children face being "worse off" than their parents because of falling earnings and rising prices, Mr Milburn warned.
Wealthier pensioners' benefits should be cut and minimum pay raised, he said.Wealthier pensioners' benefits should be cut and minimum pay raised, he said.
Mr Milburn suggested some benefits currently protected from cuts - such as free TV licences and winter fuel allowances for pensioners - could be means tested in order to share the burden of austerity more fairly.Mr Milburn suggested some benefits currently protected from cuts - such as free TV licences and winter fuel allowances for pensioners - could be means tested in order to share the burden of austerity more fairly.
'Lack of progress''Lack of progress'
The target of ending child poverty by 2020 would "in all likelihood be missed by a considerable margin" - leaving as many as two million children in poverty, the government's Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission warned in its first report.The target of ending child poverty by 2020 would "in all likelihood be missed by a considerable margin" - leaving as many as two million children in poverty, the government's Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission warned in its first report.
Compared to other developed nations, Britain still had "high levels of child poverty and low levels of social mobility" - with a rising number of children in "absolute poverty" coming from working families.Compared to other developed nations, Britain still had "high levels of child poverty and low levels of social mobility" - with a rising number of children in "absolute poverty" coming from working families.
The commission pointed out that real-terms incomes had stagnated since 2003 while prices continued to rise - "putting many more families under pressure and forcing many more low-income earners below the poverty line".The commission pointed out that real-terms incomes had stagnated since 2003 while prices continued to rise - "putting many more families under pressure and forcing many more low-income earners below the poverty line".
It argued employers needed to do more by paying higher minimum wages and offering better training and career development.
Two thirds of children officially deemed as being poor now came from a family where at least one parent was working - and in three out of four of those cases, at least one of their parents was working full time, the report found.Two thirds of children officially deemed as being poor now came from a family where at least one parent was working - and in three out of four of those cases, at least one of their parents was working full time, the report found.
It argued employers needed to do more by paying higher minimum wages and offering better training and career development.
'Sharing the burden''Sharing the burden'
Mr Milburn told the BBC that while work was "still very important", it was not a cure for poverty. "Today child poverty is a problem for working families rather than the workless or the workshy," Mr Milburn told the BBC.
He said that while work was "still very important", it was no longer a cure for poverty.
Around five million people in the country - mainly women - were earning less than the living wage, which is about £7.45 an hour outside of London, he said.Around five million people in the country - mainly women - were earning less than the living wage, which is about £7.45 an hour outside of London, he said.
"These are the people frankly who do all the right things, they go out to work, they stand on their own two feet, they look after their families - they're the strivers not the shirkers - and yet they're all too often the forgotten people of Britain and I think they desperately need a new deal.""These are the people frankly who do all the right things, they go out to work, they stand on their own two feet, they look after their families - they're the strivers not the shirkers - and yet they're all too often the forgotten people of Britain and I think they desperately need a new deal."
He called on employers and the government to do more to help those feeling a squeeze in living standards, but also suggested pensioners could provide part of the solution.He called on employers and the government to do more to help those feeling a squeeze in living standards, but also suggested pensioners could provide part of the solution.
He said many pensioners felt "uncomfortable" that ordinary families were having their benefits cut back while their own benefits - including the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes - were safeguarded.He said many pensioners felt "uncomfortable" that ordinary families were having their benefits cut back while their own benefits - including the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes - were safeguarded.
"Many are asking 'is that fair and right, and shouldn't there be a fairer sharing of the burden?'""Many are asking 'is that fair and right, and shouldn't there be a fairer sharing of the burden?'"
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg praised the findings, saying: "It is not every day that the government welcomes a report that criticises the way things are being done and draws attention to a lack of progress made." Mr Milburn, who stood down as a Labour MP at the last election, also advocated a scheme for pairing bright children with the best teachers in an effort to raise attainment.
But he described the report's questioning of whether cuts were falling fairly among different generations as "debateable". The former health secretary, who has been asked by the government to produce a series of reports, has previously said social mobility - the idea that individuals can better themselves in terms of educational opportunity, job prospects and salaries from one generation to the next - is "flat-lining".
"Punishing pensioners isn't going to help a single child achieve more in life," he said. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed the report's findings, but warned that "punishing pensioners isn't going to help a single child achieve more in life".
Mr Milburn, who stood down as an MP at the last election, also advocated a scheme for pairing bright children with the best teachers in an effort to raise attainment. Shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves said the "powerful report" showed "ordinary families' living standards [were being] squeezed and social divisions [were] deepening as a result of this government's decisions to put a privileged few first".
The former health secretary, who has been asked by the government to produce a series of reports, has previously said social mobility - the idea that individuals can better themselves in terms of educational opportunity, job prospects and salaries from one generation to the next - is "flatlining". On Wednesday, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of those unemployed in the UK fell by 18,000 to 2.49 million in the June-August period.
His latest report comes after official figures revealed the number of those unemployed in the UK fell by 18,000 to 2.49 million in the June-August period.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance last month fell by 41,700 to 1.35 million.