Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Child Poverty

Monday 28 June 2021 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 6 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Recent statistics show that 1.3 million fewer people are in absolute poverty after housing costs compared to 2010.
  • The Government spent an estimated 111 billion on working-age welfare in 2020-21, including 7.4 billion on covid-related measures.
  • The Department introduced the covid local support grant with an additional 160 million funding between 21 June and 30 September.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Burgon Lab Leeds East
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP raises concerns over the rising number of children in poverty, with a significant increase in Leeds East before the pandemic.

Question

What recent progress her Department has made on tackling child poverty. Recent statistics show that 1.3 million fewer people are in absolute poverty after housing costs compared to 2010. However, the numbers have risen since then, especially with 60% of kids living in poverty in my constituency and over 4.2 million across the country. The Government's limited extension to local support grants does not make up for cuts to universal credit, which will mean families are £1,000 a year worse off from September.

Answer from Will Quince

Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been to protect the most vulnerable with an additional £7.4 billion spent last year on welfare safety support for working-age people. We are spending over £30 billion on a comprehensive plan for jobs to help parents return to work as quickly as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask about reconsidering the decision and ensuring families do not lose £1,000 from September due to cuts in universal credit.

How: Under Review

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Q2 Rushanara Ali Lab Bethnal Green and Stepney
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP highlights the growing number of children in poverty across her constituency, referencing cuts to universal credit that will affect families financially.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answer. However, 60% of kids in my constituency are living in poverty and over 4.2 million live in poverty across the country. The numbers have gone up by 700,000 since 2010, and the Government's limited extension to local support grants does not make up for cuts to universal credit which will mean families are £1,000 a year worse off from September.

Answer from Will Quince

We spent an estimated £111 billion on working-age welfare in 2020-21, including £7.4 billion on covid-related measures, and we introduced the covid local support grant which has been extended with an additional £160 million funding between 21 June and 30 September.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask about reconsidering the decision regarding universal credit cuts, focusing instead on overall spending figures.

How: Under Review

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Q3 Richard Burgon Lab Leeds East
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP criticises the Government's response to in-work poverty, mentioning rising levels of poverty despite economic recovery efforts.

Question

What we have been hearing from the Government is rubbish. In Leeds East alone, 11,000 children—that is approaching half of all children—live in poverty. It is not getting better for my community; it is getting worse. Poverty levels went up by 25% in the five years before the pandemic and will get worse when £20 of universal credit is taken away from families in October.

Answer from Will Quince

Recent statistics show that before the pandemic, we were in a strong position with rising incomes and 1.3 million fewer people, including 300,000 fewer children, in absolute poverty after housing costs compared to 2010. Our long-term ambition is to support economic recovery across our United Kingdom.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask about visiting food banks or explaining why families will lose £20 from universal credit in October.

How: Under Review

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Q4 Jonathan Reynolds Labour (Co-op) Stalybridge and Hyde
Economy Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP raises concerns over the high levels of in-work poverty, mentioning the Government's response to cut universal credit this September.

Question

In-work poverty has hit a record high and the vast majority of children in poverty have working parents. The Government's response is to cut universal credit this September. There is no sign of an employment Bill to improve conditions at work and help with housing costs has been frozen. What is the Government's plan to tackle in-work poverty?

Answer from Will Quince

As our economy improves, we will increasingly focus on supporting economic recovery and improving opportunities for those in low-paid work. As part of our £30 billion plan for jobs, there is an extra 13,500 work coaches, the kickstart scheme, the restart scheme, SWAP—the sector-based work academy programme—and our in-work progression commission which will report on barriers to progression and recommend a strategy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask about cancelling the cut to universal credit this September.

How: Under Review

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Q5 Jonathan Reynolds Labour (Co-op) Stalybridge and Hyde
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP discusses childcare costs as a significant barrier to work, mentioning the campaign Mums on a Mission that has been forced to bring legal action due to issues with the system.

Question

Universal credit is an in-work benefit and it is means-tested. If people do progress, they will not be eligible for support, so it is not an argument for proceeding with the cut in September. Can I ask about childcare costs? They have soared, but universal credit is paid in arrears, leaving parents in debt.

Answer from Will Quince

We have a comprehensive childcare offer as a Government and specifically as a Department. Unlike the previous benefit system where childcare costs could be up to 70% recoverable, in universal credit the figure is 85%, making it a far more generous system.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask about understanding the significance of childcare costs as a problem for parents and workers.

How: Under Review

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Q6 Stephen Timms Lab East Ham
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP references a report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which predicts that cutting £20 a week from universal credit will pull 400,000 people, including many children, below the poverty line.

Question

Joseph Rowntree has told the Work and Pensions Committee that cutting £20 a week from universal credit in October will reduce unemployment support to the lowest level for over 30 years at exactly the point when unemployment is being increased by the ending of the furlough scheme. What assessment will the Minister make of the impact of this cut on child poverty before it goes ahead?

Answer from Will Quince

The £20 increase to universal credit was a temporary measure to support households affected by the economic shock of covid-19. The additional financial support and other direct covid support will end once our economy has opened.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide an assessment of the impact on child poverty before the cut goes ahead, focusing instead on the temporary nature of the increase.

How: Under Review

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