Child Poverty Bill introduced

The Child Poverty Bill, which sets out the actions needed to end child poverty by 2020, has been introduced.

Key aspects include:

• setting a clear definition of success with four challenging UK-wide targets covering relative poverty; combined low-income and material deprivation; persistent poverty and absolute poverty
• requiring the Government to publish a UK-wide child poverty strategy which must be revised every three years until 2020 to ensure that targeted and sustained action is taken by everybody.

There will also be specific action required by the Devolved Administrations.

The Government will have a duty to report to Parliament annually on progress towards the targets and to seek advice of the Child Poverty Commission in preparing its strategy.

Local government and named partners will be required to do more to understand and tackle child poverty in their areas.

Full details of the Child Poverty Bill can be accessed at the Department for Children School and Families' website.