Government announce long-awaited Child Poverty Strategy

Families will be helped with the costs of baby formula and childcare expanded for those on universal credit as part of the strategy published today (December 4).

According to the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC), 170,000 children were living in poverty across our region 2023/24.

The government believes its new measures will see kids across the country get the “best possible start in life”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Too many children are growing up in poverty, held back from getting on in life, and too many families are struggling without the basics: a secure home, warm meals, and the support they need to make ends meet.

“I will not stand by and watch that happen, because the cost of doing nothing is too high for children, for families, and for Britain.

 “This is a moral mission for me. It’s about fairness, opportunity, and unlocking potential. Our strategy isn’t just about reversing the failures of the past, it sets a new course for national renewal, with children’s life chances at its heart.”

But while the strategy has already been welcomed by some charities as a good starting point, Big Issue founder Lord John Bird warned against “warm words” and a strategy he said was lacking in “ambitious targets”.

The crossbench peer, who experienced poverty as a child, said: “The absence of ambitious targets to propel forward this Government’s mission to reduce child poverty is deeply concerning.

“In this challenging economic climate, there is every reason to worry warm words will not translate into tangible progress.”

The National Children’s Bureau added it wanted to see “binding targets for further reductions over ten years but this level of ambition is sadly missing”.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Child poverty is a stain on our country. I’ve seen the damage poverty does first-hand, and bearing down on it sits at the very core of this government’s mission.

 “This strategy, lifting [more than] half a million children out of poverty, represents an historic moment for generations of families now and into the future.

 “And whether it’s expanding free school meals, rolling out free breakfast clubs, or revitalising family services, we are determined to give every child the very best start in life.”

Just last week, the government moved to scrap the controversial two-child benefit cap from April 2026, which will result in an estimated reduction of child poverty by 450,000 by 2029/30, at a cost of £3 billion.

That move was expected to benefit 70,000 children in the North East.

The new strategy outlines:

• More accessible childcare for those on universal credit, through expanding eligibility for upfront costs to people returning from parental leave
• Families who receive Universal Credit will be able to get support with childcare costs for all their children
• Ending the placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond six weeks
• Providing £950m for 5,000 homes to be used as temporary accommodation
• Introducing a legal duty to inform schools when a child is in temporary accommodation
• Ending the practice of discharging mums with newborns to bed and breakfasts
• Guidance for retailers to let families to use loyalty points, vouchers, and gift cards to purchase baby formula