Member News
Too often the misleading and unhelpful language of “strivers versus skivers” clouds the reality.
Matthew Reed, chief executive of The Children’s Society
As welfare and benefit reforms dominate the political battleground it is vital that the children who are affected aren’t forgotten, writes Matthew Reed, chief executive of The Children’s Society.
Today’s debate in the House of Commons on the Welfare Benefit Up-Rating Bill, is just one of a raft of cuts that will hit children hard. In capping the up-rating of key benefits at 1% for the next three years, this will, by the government’s own admission, push an additional 200,000 children into poverty.
Too often the misleading and unhelpful language of “strivers versus skivers” clouds the reality.
Let’s separate the facts from fiction. This is not a debate about strivers versus skivers, it is about what these changes mean for children and families across the UK. Both people in work and those out of work will be affected. The majority have children.
We estimate that among professionals, some 300,000 nurses and midwives, 150,000 primary school teachers, 44,000 electricians and electrical fitters and 42,000 armed forces personnel will lose out as a result of the changes. Hard-working families who will really feel the impact of cuts. A nurse with two children could lose £424 a year and an army corporal, with three children earning £619 per week, will lose about £550 a year by 2015.
Two-thirds of families affected by the bill – over six million – have children. Lone parents are among those who will be hardest hit – 95% of lone parent families are affected by the bill and will suffer the highest average loss – losing £261 per year by 2015/16.
The failure to up-rate support for children and families by less than the rise in the cost of living will mean that millions of families up and down the country - already struggling to put food on the table, heat their homes, pay rent and afford other basics - will see their budgets further squeezed.
Children must not be made to pay the price for government cuts. We recognise that this is a time of austerity. But cutting vital support for children is not right. Some of the key benefits being cut are aimed at supporting children. Child tax credit, child benefit and the child elements of Universal Credit are needed to support parents with the costs of raising a child and are an investment in our society’s future.
The effects of child poverty are far-reaching and long-lasting. If the government fails to invest in our children now, the costs will be far greater, both for the individuals affected and for society in the future.
When the political parties battle it out today in the Commons, we urge MPs from all parties to make sure the political debate around welfare reform is more constructive. With so many changes around welfare taking place, cool heads and rational thinking needs to be the order of the day rather than political calculation and campaigning.
We urge the government to reconsider this Bill and make sure that children are protected.
See our analysis of the Welfare Benefit Up-rating Bill.