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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 are now from families where an adult works, 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 face being "worse off" than their parents because of falling earnings and rising prices, Mr Milburn added. | Many low and middle-income children face being "worse off" than their parents because of falling earnings and rising prices, Mr Milburn added. |
| 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. |
| But a spokesman for David Cameron said: "The prime minister believes it is right to make commitments to pensioners in relationship to state provision." | |
| The government has pledged to safeguard such benefits until the next general election. | The government has pledged to safeguard such benefits until the next general election. |
| 'Two million children' | 'Two million children' |
| In its first report, the government's Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission warned 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. | In its first report, the government's Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission warned 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. |
| Britain still had "high levels of child poverty and low levels of social mobility", it said - with a rising number of children in "absolute poverty" coming from working families. | Britain still had "high levels of child poverty and low levels of social mobility", it said - with a rising number of children in "absolute poverty" coming from working families. |
| 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 also said the "twin problems of high youth unemployment and falling living standards" were storing up problems for the future. | It also said the "twin problems of high youth unemployment and falling living standards" were storing up problems for the future. |
| "Many of today's children face the prospect of having lower living standards than their parents when they grow up," it said. | "Many of today's children face the prospect of having lower living standards than their parents when they grow up," it said. |
| Among its key recommendations the report urged the government to: | Among its key recommendations the report urged the government to: |
| "Just as the UK government has focused on reducing the country's financial deficit it now needs to redouble its efforts to reduce our country's fairness deficit," the report said. | "Just as the UK government has focused on reducing the country's financial deficit it now needs to redouble its efforts to reduce our country's fairness deficit," the report said. |
| It also argued employers needed to "step up to the plate" and provide higher minimum levels of pay and better training and career development. | It also argued employers needed to "step up to the plate" and provide higher minimum levels of pay and better training and career development. |
| 'Sharing the burden' | 'Sharing the burden' |
| Mr Milburn told the BBC: "Today child poverty is a problem for working families rather than the workless or the work-shy." | Mr Milburn told the BBC: "Today child poverty is a problem for working families rather than the workless or the work-shy." |
| 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." |
| Mr Milburn said that while ministers and employers could do more, it was unrealistic to expect the government to continue topping up low pay using working tax credits. | Mr Milburn said that while ministers and employers could do more, it was unrealistic to expect the government to continue topping up low pay using working tax credits. |
| He suggested older people could provide part of the solution. | He suggested older people could provide part of the solution. |
| Many pensioners were asking, "shouldn't there be a fairer sharing of the burden?", he insisted. | Many pensioners were asking, "shouldn't there be a fairer sharing of the burden?", he insisted. |
| Mr Milburn also advocated a scheme for pairing bright children with the best teachers in an effort to raise attainment. | Mr Milburn also advocated a scheme for pairing bright children with the best teachers in an effort to raise attainment. |
| The former Labour health secretary 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". | The former Labour health secretary 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". |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed the report, but warned that "punishing pensioners isn't going to help a single child achieve more in life". | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed the report, but warned that "punishing pensioners isn't going to help a single child achieve more in life". |
| Enver Solomon, of the National Children's Bureau charity, said the report was "a wake-up call for all political parties by stating that our country is dramatically polarised between the haves and have- nots". | |
| "As the commission states, there is an urgent need to rebalance the distribution of resources so that the burden of austerity is more equally shared," she said. | |
| "The Office of Budget Responsibility has an important role to play in monitoring this by independently assessing the impact of spending decisions on child poverty." | |
| 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". | 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". |
| On Wednesday, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of unemployed in the UK fell by 18,000 to 2.49 million in the June-August period. | On Wednesday, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the number of unemployed in the UK fell by 18,000 to 2.49 million in the June-August period. |