Big Issue Leads Coalition Urging Child Poverty Targets in Delayed UK Strategy

Overview

• The Big Issue coordinated an open letter backed by more than 50 charities, MPs, peers and public figures calling for explicit targets to cut child poverty.
• Signatories include Emilia Clarke, Chris Packham and George Clarke, alongside major groups such as Barnardo’s, CPAG, Amnesty UK, the National Children’s Bureau and Trussell.
• Campaigners fear the forthcoming strategy could exclude targets, after ministers rejected Lord Bird’s earlier amendment for legally binding goals during committee stage in June.
• Lord Bird plans to reintroduce his child poverty targets amendment at the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill report stage in the House of Lords.
• CPAG projects about 100,000 more children a year could fall into poverty, nearing 5 million by 2029, as the chancellor signals a budget overhaul of the two‑child benefit limit that affects 1.7 million children, with charities warning a tapered replacement may have little impact.