We want our Parliament to:

Ensure no child or young person lives in poverty in the UK.

 

Our Vision:

We believe that children and young people should not have to live in poverty in the UK - every young person should have a decent standard of living, irrespective of their economic status. We want the UK Government to give all children in families the same rate of child benefits; larger families are more likely to be in poverty and raising the child benefit level for the younger children in a large family is a simple and direct way of increasing vital support.

 

We believe that health care and nutrition are major factors for a young person living in poverty. All young people and students should be entitled to free health, dental care and prescriptions. There should be free school meals for all young people to ensure that every young person receives at least one balanced meal per day.

 

We believe that all young people should have the right to a safe place to live; young refugees and their families are often most vulnerable as tenants, we must ensure their basic rights are catered for.  

Key stats:

     Almost 1 in 3 children in the UK live below the poverty line and 70% of these children living in poverty come from working families (Households below average income statistics, Department of Work and Pensions, 2019)

     Poverty can affect children’s cognitive development, and those living in poverty are over three times more likely to suffer from mental health problems. Poverty has long term implications on children’s ‘life chances’ and health in adulthood. (Health at a price reducing the impact of poverty A briefing from the Board of Science, British Medical Association, June 2017)

     Although Universal Credit has allowed more children and young people to be eligible, it’s calculation has also prevented 1 in 8 children and young people who were once eligible to become ineligible to receive free school meals. (Free School Meals Under Universal Credit, Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2018) 

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