The government’s Child Poverty Strategy is a solid foundation for progress

Dr Philip Goodwin, CEO of Unicef | The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK)

2 min read26 January Partner content

In the decade to 2023, child poverty increased faster in the UK than in any other advanced economy. Today, more children can expect a brighter start thanks to the UK government’s new Child Poverty Strategy

Across the UK, 4.3 million children live in poverty. Millions are too hungry to concentrate, sleeping in cold bedrooms, and experiencing worries beyond their years. UNICEF research shows that child poverty increased faster here than in 37 other high-income countries between 2013 and 2023.¹ A dispiriting reflection of the disinvestment in social security for families who needed support.

Poverty follows children throughout their lives. They are less likely to succeed at school or go to university, and once they become adults, they are more likely to experience poor mental health, health issues, and earn less money.

Axing the two-child limit is therefore a defining policy of the government’s new strategy. By 2029, it will lift 450,000 children out of poverty – drawing a line in the sand on a decade of immiseration. For over three years, UNICEF UK has campaigned for the removal of this cruel policy. No child should be punished for the number of siblings they have. Every child has the right to an adequate standard of living, and this decision will see families better able to cover essentials and meet their children’s needs. Commitments brought together by the government’s plan, such as uprating the Healthy Start Scheme, increasing the Early Years Pupil Premium and expanding Best Start Family Hubs, are the type of support families need – and a welcome cross-government approach.

Still, the government is right to frame its commitments as just the start – a foundation rather than a panacea. By the end of this parliament, more than four million children will still be living in poverty – meaning millions of children will still be living precariously and alienated from many of their basic rights. Rightly, there is now a national mission to give every child the best start in life. Achieving this must mean articulating a visible target for driving down child poverty beyond 2029 and planting children’s rights at the heart of future decision-making across government.

Spending on children, especially those furthest from their rights, is an investment. When children are given the opportunity to succeed and thrive, we set them up for a brighter future – and society as a whole reaps the benefits.

If you would like to learn more about UNICEF UK’s work for children, please contact Zoe Palmer, Head of Political Affairs, at [email protected]