Erik W

Child poverty needs immediate attention, not a year long study. It is holding children back from reaching their full potential in life, while also tearing families apart. The government needs to end the two child benefit cap with immediate effect and give all school aged children the option of having a free school meal each day. Once this has been done some poverty would have ended, then the government can start working on other issues like, Universal credit payments and other benefits to ensure they are adequate at meeting the cost of living in today’s society.

My daughter, who is now 18, was suddenly plunged into a world of poverty at the age of 8. Her mother and my partner left the family home without explanation and cut all contact. I had been claiming incapacity benefit for many years, my partner was working and claiming tax credits. Which entitled my daughter to free school meals. A short while after I informed the relevant departments about the changes, immediately they stopped the tax credits, which ended my daughters free school meals. The child benefit was also paid into my ex partners account which I was informed could not be changed without her advising them, so this was also money I was not receiving in order to support my daughter. This issue took almost two years to resolve. This meant that I was left to support myself and my daughter on my benefits as a single person until my daughter finished school education.

Growing up in poverty has restricted my daughter from experiencing childhood like you would expect them to have and unfortunately held her back from being able to do so much more to help her own future. My daughter missed out on so much at school, like outings / trips, healthy school meals, school uniform, books, after school clubs and so much more. These are all everyday expenses that just can’t be covered by rates of benefits that are paid to families. This is also before you start to think about household bills, internet, phone, warm clothing and bedding.

The whole social security system needs to be brought up to date, making it easier and quicker to claim, with rates paid in order for no child or family to ever have to live in poverty in the modern world.