Latest news with #ChildPovertyStrategy
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Families raising disabled children ‘being driven further into debt', reveals Cost of Caring report
In its Cost of Caring report, charity Family Fund said families struggled with additional costs for items such as specialist equipment, utilities, medical appointment travel, food and increased wear and tear on the home. Its survey of 2,362 families UK-wide included testimony from 266 families in Northern Ireland, including Belfast single parent Julie Ann, who has two daughters: Ella, who's five, has autism, and is in a specialist unit in a mainstream school, while Niamh is two. Julie Ann, who did not want to share her surname, is due to start a new job after having to give up her job of 18 years to care for Ella. She recently had to turn to Family Fund for help. She said: 'I was mentally drained from everything that was going on, and the pressure of having two children, and then Ella having complex needs. Ella only goes to school for four and a half hours a day... so I can only work certain hours. It took them six months to get her into her new school.' Julie Ann said her flexible-working request was declined and her nearest crèche didn't have availability. 'Ella doesn't have enough opportunities and I feel all this guilt,' the mum explained. 'Now my fridge-freezer is broken and I know I'm going to have to replace it. My washing machine is beeping every time it's on. It's working, but I'm guessing it's on its way out. Being a single parent, and then obviously with the two girls, the mortgage and everything else, it's a stretch.' Through Family Fund, however, she received a grant for a bed and the mattress and was 'absolutely delighted' because her own funds would not have stretched to cover the costs. She was able to move her two-year-old into Ella's old cot bed safely, with Ella using the new bed bought with the help of Family Fund. According to Family Fund, families are struggling with non-stop caring and are unable to afford essentials such as food and heating. Cheryl Ward CBE, Family Fund's chief executive, said: 'This report highlights stark findings, with no improvement since our 2022 surveys. 'As caring costs increase for families, barriers to paid work as a route out of poverty remain unchanged, including a lack of suitable childcare. 'Until these challenges are addressed, families raising disabled and seriously ill children can't escape the cycle of living in debt, going without essentials like food, clothing and furniture and experiencing poor mental health. 'We're supporting rising numbers of families each year with basic items like washing machines, beds, clothing and equipment. 'Parent carers are going to huge lengths to do the best for their children, regularly sacrificing their own wellbeing in the process. 'Families raising disabled children are at the sharpest edge of income instability. The Child Poverty Strategy provides an unmissable opportunity to listen to what families have to say and tackle the very real and pressing issues they face every day.' The charity, which gives essential grants and services to families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, shared key findings: Benefits are not keeping pace with the cost of living The survey found that 44% of families raising a disabled child cannot meet day-to-day living costs, despite receiving disability benefits. And 87% of parents and carers have no savings at all, so can't replace essential items when they break, like a washing machine or bed. Caring is a barrier to work for most Just 7% of parent carers say they're able to work as much as they would like to, as a direct result of caring responsibilities. They provide the equivalent of an extra full-time unpaid caring role every single day, across personal care, supervision, medication, therapies and medical appointments. And 60% of parent carers said having no suitable childcare was a barrier to work, with one parent saying they had been on a waiting list for five years. Just over two-thirds (77%) of families who responded said they have multiple disabled or seriously ill members being cared for at home. Being unable to afford basic essentials Families are now living without the basics, with a resulting poorer quality of life. Over half of parents and carers (51%) continue to report skipping or cutting the size of their meals (down from 54% in 2022), 33% can't afford to keep their homes warm, 46% can't afford necessary dental treatment, 17% can't afford over-the-counter or prescription medicine for themselves, and 11% are unable to afford basic toiletries. Depleted mental and emotional health The stresses on parent carers have left over a quarter (28%) reporting probable clinical depression; 68% of children are negatively affected by their family's financial situation, which impacts on emotional wellbeing, health, development, or education; and 22% of families say they're unable to celebrate birthdays and festive occasions due to financial pressures. The charity said it gave over 200,000 grants and instances of support to families in 2024/25 compared to 150,000 last year.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I go to bed hungry so my children can eat - I feel like a failure'
Hundreds of thousands of parents and carers are going without food to ensure their children have enough to eat, a shocking new has found Half of all UK parents and carers of disabled and seriously ill children are so hard-up they are skipping meals and reducing their portion sizes so they can feed their kids, says a shocking new report. If essential items like beds and washing machines break, they cannot afford to replace them, as 87% have zero savings. The Cost of Caring 2025 report, released today by national charity Family Fund, also found that 41% of lone parent carers struggle to afford food and heating. One mum of four said: 'Last week, I literally had 41p in my bank.' The charity, which provides essential grants and services to low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children or young people, surveyed 2,300 families for the report. It found that 46% of carers cannot afford necessary dental treatment, with respondents saying 68% of their children are negatively affected by the family's financial situation. With 33% of those surveyed too poor to keep their homes warm, 28% say they are clinically depressed and only 7% can work as much as they would like to, because of caring responsibilities. Now Family Fund, which gave more than 200,000 grants to families in 2024/25 compared to 150,000 the previous year, says the government must recognise the additional costs of disability when considering support for families. Calling on Keir Starmer to prioritise the wellbeing of carers, chief executive Cheryl Ward CBE says: 'As caring costs increase for families, barriers to paid work as a route out of poverty remain unchanged. 'We're supporting rising numbers of families each year with basic items like washing machines, beds, clothing and equipment. Parent carers are going to huge lengths to do the best for their children, regularly sacrificing their own wellbeing in the process. 'Families raising disabled children are at the sharpest edge of income instability. The Child Poverty Strategy provides an unmissable opportunity to listen to what families have to say and tackle the very real and pressing issues they face every day.' 'I can't remember the last time I ate an evening meal' Single mum to five children, including triplets with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), Kimberly Robb also cares for her 74-year-old mum, Christine Robb, who has lung disease. A carer to five-year-olds Elsie, Addison and Emmy, Kimberley, 42, of Portsmouth, spends £200 a week on food for her family, which also includes daughter Tilly, 15, and son Owen, 20. 'I've had to put back essential items because we haven't got the money,' she tells The Mirror. 'We have a couple of weeks of the month where we don't have any money. My bills are paid and we've got a roof over our head and that's the main thing for me. 'But there are times, like last week, when I literally had 41p in my bank. I couldn't even afford to go and get a pint of milk. 'I skip meals. I don't have a meal at the end of the day. I can't remember the last time I had an evening meal because I think, 'Some of the kids can have that tomorrow.'" Born premature at 30 weeks, the triplets - who are all still in nappies - spent five weeks in NICU. Emmy is non-verbal autistic and has global development delay, together with challenging behaviours such as headbanging and attends a specialist school. Addison was diagnosed with autism, aged three, while Elsie has suspected autism spectrum disorder and anxiety, but is awaiting a diagnosis. Both attend mainstream school with 1:1 support, but the Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) the school is trying to get for Elsie may not be possible under new government proposals. Until last month, Kimberly was a hotel manager, and her parents helped out. But her mum's lung disease diagnosis changed everything and made it impossible for her to work. She explains: 'Mum can't get up the stairs anymore. She only leaves the house for medical appointments. I take her and keep her company because she gets lonely now she doesn't go out. 'Raising triplets is full-on and expensive - even more so when they have disabilities - and it's very hard to split yourself in three. 'When they were born, it was three cots, a triple buggy. Now that they are older it's things like three pairs of shoes, three lots of school uniform. Having three children with SEND has definitely impacted my mental health, too. I feel lonely and isolated. I want to be able to give my kids everything they need and I can't.' Kimberly has applied for respite for Emmy – but there is a waiting list until next year. Luckily, Family Fund have provided a climbing frame and trampoline for the children. 'It's a massive help for us, for the six week summer holidays, with not having a lot of money," says Kimberly. Kimberly's monthly costs Salary: £2,000 (includes child benefit) Emmy's DLA: £480 (a lot gets spent on bedding as this gets soiled or destroyed) Total: £2,480 Food: £800 Electricity and gas: £220 Sensory toys/equipment: £200 Water: Approximately £100 Clothes: £150 a month Nappies: £100 a month Total: £2,420 'I go to bed hungry so my children can eat - I feel like a failure' Skipping evening meals has become normal for single mum Julia Davies, who has a grown-up daughter, a son and a teenager with complex needs. She lives in Barry, South Wales, with Iestyn, 12, and Carys, 16, who has drug-resistant epilepsy, learning disabilities and is awaiting an autism diagnosis. Although Julia works full-time in a specialist school, she struggles financially. 'I work full time, but I live on pennies a lot of the time. There isn't enough money coming in and we are barely surviving," says Julia, whose 23-year-old daughter lives nearby. 'The bills keep adding up. I've been without an oven for six months because I can't afford to buy one. We went two months without a washing machine and had to use the laundrette and we haven't had a car for a year, which makes it hard to get to medical appointments. 'The heating is on constantly because Carys can't get cold, as it makes her ache. It's a never-ending vicious cycle.' As well as skipping evening meals, she sometimes struggles to put together a packed lunch to take to work. 'It's really difficult to afford the food we need,' she says. 'I plan and budget for all our meals. But the children are hungry when they come home from school and fix themselves a sandwich or grab a piece of fruit. I don't want them going hungry or worrying, so I go without. 'In the evening, the kids usually have beans on toast or pasta with tomato sauce. Or they have 'what ifs' - which means if it's in the house, it's in the pot. They eat whatever needs using up. 'I have to make sure the kids are eating, because they are growing. I don't have a proper evening meal – I can get by with a piece of toast and go to bed. 'My weekly food bill used to be £85 a few years ago, but now, if it's £150 it's a good week,' says Julia, who also has a number of loans and credit card debts. 'I'm always thinking, 'Where can I make cuts? Where can I find the extra money?' 'I shouldn't be getting into debt to feed my children. My kids go to bed every night with full bellies and knowing their worth, but I still feel like a failure. I want to be able to give them the things they desperately want, but I can't because then we wouldn't eat for the week.' Unable to save, Julia doesn't qualify for carers' allowance because she works. Fortunately, Family Fund bought her a dining table, so she can do arts and crafts with Carys, and gave them vouchers for a couple of days' holiday. 'It meant the world to us to have a few days of normality,' she says. But, where the government is concerned, Julia adds: 'Families like mine are not seen.' Julia's monthly costs Salary: £1,580 Universal credit: £1,568 Child benefit: £173 TOTAL: £3,879 Rent: £850 Transport: Approx £150 Food: £600 Gas and electricity: £200 Council tax: £145 Water: £55 Loans: £900 Credit cards: £300 Phones: £100 TV/Broadband: £75 School dinners: £50 Fidgets, art and crafts: £50 Clothes: £100 Miscellaneous: £250
New Statesman
29-05-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Child poverty is rallying the Labour left
Photo byIn the aftermath of this government's first King's Speech in July 2024, Labour suspended the whip from seven of its MPs: Apsana Begum, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Zarah Sultana, Ian Byrne and Imran Hussain. This group was charged with voting – against the Labour whip – for an SNP amendment which called for the removal of the two-child benefit cap. This policy, designed by George Osborne and introduced by the government in 2017, limits the number of children for whom a family can claim financial support. According to data from the Resolution Foundation, 470,000 children would be lifted out of poverty if the cap was removed. Nine months later, the government has all but confirmed it is about to stage a U-turn. Reporting over the weekend suggested that Keir Starmer is convinced that the cap should be removed with the government hoping to unveil this decision in its upcoming Child Poverty Strategy, which has been delayed until the autumn (it was originally intended for publication in the spring). Doing the broadcast round on Tuesday morning, Bridget Phillipson confirmed that lifting the cap is 'something we're considering'. This follows Starmer's recent announcement that the government would retract its decision to cut the winter fuel payment for more than nine million pensioners, a policy that did a lot of damage in this year's local elections. For the seven MPs who voted to remove the cap, this is a vindication. 'I think it's pretty poor form,' said Byrne when we spoke over the phone. 'You've got people who actually voted on a point of principle for constituents [who were suspended], then there's been a realisation that they were actually doing the right thing, and the government follows on almost 12 months later,' he said. Byrne, along with three of the seven (Long-Bailey, Burgon and Hussain), had the whip restored in February this year. Sultana, McDonnell and Begum remain independent. Byrne, who has not spoken to the government about its impending decision, thinks that if a U-turn is on the cards, the three remaining MPs should have the whip reinstated. 'They should have listened to us from the get-go. There's still MPs who've lost the whip who are important to the Labour movement and represent huge swathes of the Labour movement. I think it's really important that they're given that back,' he said. McDonnell has already seen the opportunity in this moment. Writing for the Guardian, the former shadow chancellor accused Starmer's government of 'callousness and incompetency' and said that the removal of the whip from himself and six other colleagues for voting against the two-child benefit cap 'showed a remarkable combination of arrogance and lack of judgement'. He called on MPs to 'stand up and take back control of Labour'. The optics are clearly not great. And as the Labour leadership moves rightward to – as Starmer told a meeting of the PLP last week – take on the party's 'main rivals for power', Reform, they remain exposed on the left. (Although Farage, this week, shifted his party leftward, telling a press conference on Tuesday 27 May that Reform would remove the two-child benefit cap.) Byrne thinks this rightward move from the Labour leadership is a mistake. 'We cannot be outflanked by Nigel Farage,' he said. 'There seems to be an obsession with people around the leader with focus groups.' To Byrne, where the party's focus must really lie is on issues such as alleviating child poverty, 'things that George Osborne did, and the damage it did to our constituencies, in working class areas, that needs to be tacked – not a fixation on focus groups'. Rumours of a new leftward alliance have already been swirling; there have been suggestions that this could be driven by the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (who was suspended from the party by Starmer in 2020) or even a member of the still suspended three (such as Zarah Sultana). But nothing material has happened yet. Two questions remain, however: will Starmer's Labour readmit McDonnell, Sultana and Begum? And if the offer is on the table for the three remaining rebels, how likely are they to say yes? Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe [See more: The economic fantasies of Reform] Related
New Statesman
29-05-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Is Jeremy Corbyn planning a new left alliance?
Photo byIn the aftermath of this government's first King's Speech in September 2024, Labour suspended the whip from seven of its MPs: Apsana Begum, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Zarah Sultana, Ian Byrne and Imran Hussain. This group was charged with voting – against the Labour whip – for an SNP amendment which called for the removal of the two-child benefit cap. This policy, designed by George Osborne and introduced by the government in 2017, limits the number of children for whom a family can claim financial support. According to data from the Resolution Foundation, 470,000 children would be lifted out of poverty if the cap was removed. Nine months later, the government has all but confirmed it is about to stage a U-turn. Reporting over the weekend suggested that Keir Starmer is convinced that the cap should be removed with the government hoping to unveil this decision in its upcoming Child Poverty Strategy, which has been delayed until the autumn (it was originally intended for publication in the spring). Doing the broadcast round on Tuesday morning, Bridget Phillipson confirmed that lifting the cap is 'something we're considering'. This follows Starmer's recent announcement that the government would retract its decision to cut the winter fuel payment for more than nine million pensioners, a policy that did a lot of damage in this year's local elections. For the seven MPs who voted to remove the cap, this is a vindication. 'I think it's pretty poor form,' said Byrne when we spoke over the phone. 'You've got people who actually voted on a point of principle for constituents [who were suspended], then there's been a realisation that they were actually doing the right thing, and the government follows on almost 12 months later,' he said. Byrne, along with three of the seven (Long-Bailey, Burgon and Hussain), had the whip restored in February this year. Sultana, McDonnell and Begum remain independent. Byrne, who has not spoken to the government about its impending decision, thinks that if a U-turn is on the cards, the three remaining MPs should have the whip reinstated. 'They should have listened to us from the get-go. There's still MPs who've lost the whip who are important to the Labour movement and represent huge swathes of the Labour movement. I think it's really important that they're given that back,' he said. McDonnell has already seen the opportunity in this moment. Writing for the Guardian, the former shadow chancellor accused Starmer's government of 'callousness and incompetency' and said that the removal of the whip from himself and six other colleagues for voting against the two-child benefit cap 'showed a remarkable combination of arrogance and judgement'. He called on MPs to 'stand up and take back control of Labour'. The optics are clearly not great. And as the Labour leadership moves rightward to – as Starmer told a meeting of the PLP last week – take on the party's 'main rivals for power', Reform, they remain exposed on the left. (Although Farage, this week, shifted his party leftward, telling a press conference on Tuesday 27 May that Reform would remove the two-child benefit cap.) Byrne thinks this rightward move from the Labour leadership is a mistake. 'We cannot be outflanked by Nigel Farage,' he said. 'There seems to be an obsession with people around the leader with focus groups.' To Byrne, where the party's focus must really lie is on issues such as alleviating child poverty, 'things that George Osborne did, and the damage it did to our constituencies, in working class areas, that needs to be tacked – not a fixation on focus groups'. Rumours of a new leftward shift have already been swirling; there have been suggestions that this could be driven by the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (who was suspended from the party by Starmer in 2020) or even a member of the still suspended three (such as Zarah Sultana). Two questions remain, however: will Starmer's Labour readmit McDonnell, Sultana and Begum? And if the offer is on the table for the three remaining rebels, how likely are they to say yes? Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe [See more: The economic fantasies of Reform] Related
Sky News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Nigel Farage's big announcement will pile more pressure on PM
No U-turn comes without a political cost. This weekend, it has become clear there is a price to pay for Sir Keir Starmer's decision to row back on winter fuel payment cuts. One MP said in a text message: "We all want to see more", while former prime minister Gordon Brown told Sky News this week the two-child benefit cap was "pretty discriminatory" and could be scrapped. The cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children, is a symbolic sore for Labour that saw seven MPs suspended from the party last year. Now it's back to cause more trouble. A Downing Street source suggests little has changed in the last week, and looking at the cap has always been part of the (now delayed) Child Poverty Strategy. 1:22 But, beyond the whispers behind the scenes, one thing has overtly changed this weekend - growing pressure from Nigel Farage. We expect Reform UK to announce this week that it will reinstate winter fuel payments and drop the cap. Farage is parking his tanks on Labour's lawn, trying to tap into working-class votes on uncomfortable territory for Starmer. How would they pay for it? A combination of closing asylum hotels, cutting aid, and scrapping net-zero targets, the party says. Headline-grabbing move The beauty of not being in power is not having to make all the sums add up right now, and it is a headline-grabbing announcement that will, at the very least, reignite the conversation about the two-child cap. It's also a reminder that Reform UK, who were beaten by Labour in 89 out of the 98 constituencies they came second in last year, have set their sights beyond the Conservatives. As for the Tories, who introduced the measure in 2017, leader Kemi Badenoch is clear, saying: "If you can't afford to have lots of children, then you shouldn't do so". 1:26 Blue water between Tories and Reform UK So, there is blue water between the Conservatives and Reform, but it's the prime minister and his party that Farage is targeting now, and Labour is unclear on where it stands. Deputy leader Angela Rayner told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that "lifting any measures that alleviate poverty is not a bad idea". With the spending review fast approaching, Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be working out the actual cost, beyond the political one, of rowing back on winter fuel payment cuts. But will the anger that the policy ignited among some Labour MPs end there? Or will it move to another uncomfortable subject?
