How the Child Poverty Strategy can tackle hunger and hardship

Nearly two thirds (63%) of emergency food parcels provided by our community of food banks go to families with children, and a quarter of children (24%) aged 0-4 are facing hunger and hardship – a higher figure than for any other age group. 

The UK government must use the new Child Poverty Strategy to show it is serious about delivering an enduring reduction in child poverty. Our briefing calls for decisive action across government with recommendations to increase incomes, reduce essential costs, build financial resilience, and enhance local and community support.

As members of the End Child Poverty Coalition, we have also helped to develop eight key tests that the strategy must meet to succeed. Our recommendations are aligned with the eight tests set by the End Child Poverty Coalition and – taken together – they provide a clear approach to tackling the unacceptably high levels of child poverty and food bank need we see in communities across the UK.