Labour launches child poverty strategy but hints costly welfare system needs reform

"The UK welfare system is not helping enough people into work and has significantly rising costs, and no one should think the government is backing away from reforming it, the work and pensions secretary has said. Pat McFadden made the comments as the government published its new child poverty strategy on Friday. He said the aim of the strategy was to improve young lives for the long term and that those lifted out of hardship are likely to have improved prospects for employment in the future. This is about more than the distribution of money. It's an investment in the future of the children who are affected by poverty, he said."

"I think because of what happened in July, there's been a conclusion that no reform is happening. That's a mistake. Reform is happening. But I think we will need more in the future, too, he told the Guardian as he toured a Little Village baby bank in north London that has supported more than 11,000 families with the cost of living."

"The flagship policy in the strategy is the government's pledge to end the two-child limit on universal credit, at a cost of 3bn to the Treasury. The move is expected to lift 450,000 children out of poverty by 2031. Other measures in the package include helping parents choose cheaper baby formula, getting families out of temporary accommodation faster, establishing breakfast clubs and extending free school lunches."

The government published a child poverty strategy aimed at improving young lives and long-term employment prospects. The strategy frames lifting children out of hardship as an investment in their futures and links reduced poverty to better employment outcomes. The welfare system currently fails to get enough people into work and faces significantly rising costs, prompting a continued commitment to reform to encourage work and reduce benefit spending. The flagship measure ends the two-child limit on universal credit at a £3bn cost, expected to lift 450,000 children out of poverty by 2031. Additional measures include cheaper baby formula guidance, faster exits from temporary accommodation, breakfast clubs and extended free school lunches. A Little Village baby bank in north London has supported more than 11,000 families during the cost-of-living crisis.

Read at www.theguardian.com