North East leaders react to new Child Poverty Strategy

According to the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC), 170,000 children were living in poverty across our region 2023/24, a number both the government and regional leaders hope will go down with the help of the Child Poverty Strategy.

Published on Thursday (December 4), new measures detail families will be helped with the costs of baby formula and childcare will be expanded for those on universal credit.

The government believes it will see children across the country get the “best possible start in life”, and lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.

But while mayor Kim McGuinness has praised the strategy, she has argued that there is still “more to do” when it comes to eradicating child poverty in the North East.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness. (Image: Michael sreenan)

She said: “I’ve made tackling child poverty a top priority because that’s how we give everyone growing up in the North East the best start in life and a fair chance to succeed. 

“Expanding free school meals, scrapping the two-child limit, and investing in family hubs and childcare support will boost our regional initiatives to lift children out of poverty. 

“But this national strategy must only be the start. There’s more to do to address some of the issues affecting families in the North East, for example by ensuring that parents on universal credit do not face any barrier to getting help with childcare costs.”

What else does the new strategy outline?

• More accessible childcare for those on universal credit, through expanding eligibility for upfront costs to people returning from parental leave
• Families who receive Universal Credit will be able to get support with childcare costs for all their children
• Ending the placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond six weeks
• Providing £950m for 5,000 homes to be used as temporary accommodation
• Introducing a legal duty to inform schools when a child is in temporary accommodation
• Ending the practice of discharging mums with newborns to bed and breakfasts
• Guidance for retailers to let families to use loyalty points, vouchers, and gift cards to purchase baby formula

Just last week, the government moved to scrap the controversial two-child benefit cap from April 2026, which will result in an estimated reduction of child poverty by 450,000 by 2029/30, at a cost of £3 billion.

That move was expected to benefit 70,000 children in the North East – and one which was praised by the North East Child Poverty Commission, who have now called the government’s new strategy an “important platform” to build upon.

NECPC Chair Beth Farhat, said: “This is a really important moment, with the first UK-wide child poverty strategy for the best part of a decade – and this alone feels like a huge step forward.

NECPC Chair Beth Farhat. (Image: NECPC)

“It’s vital we not only have this clear recognition from Government about the importance of tackling child poverty – both for individual children and families, and for our country as a whole – but that this comes with investment in action that will make a transformational difference to children’s lives.

“The wide-ranging package of measures confirmed today will undoubtedly make a significant difference to children and families here in the North East, lifting tens of thousands out of poverty altogether – and meaning tens of thousands more will be in less deep poverty and experience less acute hardship as a result.

“The strategy provides an important platform from which even more ambitious action can be built – and we look forward to working with Government to ensure this strategy can press on and reach as many babies, children and young people as possible here in the North East.”

Mary Kelly Foy, City of Durham MP, as one of many politicians from across the region who hailed the scrapping of the “cruel two-child benefit cap” in the budget.

City of Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy. (Image: PARLIAMENT)

Now, she has said she believes the new Child Poverty Strategy is a “good start” in reducing deprivation in the North East.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the Government’s child poverty strategy has finally been delivered. I have long said that poverty, and particularly child poverty, is one of the biggest blights on our society, especially here in the North East.

“This document includes such measures as extending help for parents with upfront childcare costs, tackling the cost of baby formula, rolling out more free schools meals and, vitally, lifting the two child benefit cap.

“This measure alone will lift roughly 500,000 children out of poverty, and save billions on the further costs – such as NHS costs and loss of future earnings – that growing up in poverty can lead to.

“If a Labour Government is about anything, it should be about ensuring that children grow up with the best possible start in life, and this plan is a good start in delivering that.”