UK Government must tackle child poverty says Carmarthenshire MP

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards is calling on the UK Government to take action to tackle child poverty.

It follows recent research by the End Poverty Coalition, which highlighted that 4,288 children within Mr Edwards' constituency are living in poverty.

The coalition's report also found that the poverty rate for children in families with three or more children was 42% compared with 23% and 22% among children in families with one or two children respectively.

Mr Edwards is a lead signatory in a parliamentary motion calling on the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to end the two-child limit for benefit payments.

Mr Edwards is also calling on the government to acknowledge the growing issue of clothing deprivation; and to publish a clothing strategy to ensure that nobody is excluded from accessing adequate clothing.

He said:

“These most recent statistics are deeply worrying and it is clear that during these difficult times, those who have the least have been affected the most.

"Removing the two-child limit for benefit payments is an obvious policy to deal with unacceptable social challenges such as child poverty.

"The economic and social model of the British state is failing our young people, families, and communities.

"I will continue to use any parliamentary opportunities to raise this vitally important issue."

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We have helped nearly two million people, including 400,000 children, out of absolute poverty after housing costs since 2010 and have launched a £94billion cost of living support package worth around £3,300 per household.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are doing everything we can to support people and families through this cost-of-living crisis by providing target help to those who need it the most and through programmes and schemes which put money back in people’s pockets.

"During 2022-23 and 2023-24, this support was worth more than £3.3bn.

“The key levers for tackling child poverty – powers over the tax and welfare system – sit with the UK Government and we continue to call on UK Ministers to remove the two child limit and the benefit cap which are having such a devastating impact on families.

“We want to create a Wales where every child and young person can prosper.

"We will shortly launch a consultation on a new child poverty strategy which is committed to addressing child poverty as an absolute priority and which will shape our cross government objectives and create a more equal Wales.”