Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 18 March (HL15076), whether the baseline report will quantify the reduction in child poverty they aim to achieve for the 10 year strategy period.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty in 2029/30. The commitments set out in the Strategy are set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK), published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans. Further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer which will set out the latest statistics and evidence.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we will also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 18 March (HL15076), when they expect to publish the baseline report.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty in 2029/30. The commitments set out in the Strategy are set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK), published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans. Further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer which will set out the latest statistics and evidence.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we will also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of including binding targets and milestones for reducing child poverty in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to grouped questions HL15158, HL15156, HL15157, HL15155 HL on 18 March 2026
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty, and sets out our ambition to tackle its structural drivers as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy. This Government has taken decisive action, with the interventions in the Strategy set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK, published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans and further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer. We will continue to have a dedicated team in government that, with Ministerial oversight, will work across government, the public and private sectors and civil society to maintain focus on tackling child poverty and build on the Strategy.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all. Deep material poverty estimates based on two-year averages will be published for each of the UK nations in the March 2026 HBAI publication.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the support systems in the Child Poverty Strategy are (1) accessible, (2) easy to navigate, and (3) sufficient for families with disabled children.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The impacts of policies contributing to the Child Poverty Strategy will be kept under review and monitored on an ongoing basis by departments using their own established approaches to considerations made under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Child Poverty Strategy will also continue to assess the poverty risk and prevalence for groups with protected characteristics, as far as the data and evidence gathering allow.
A full summary equalities analysis was published alongside the Child Poverty Strategy and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-summary-equalities-analysis
We are also taking specific steps to support children with additional needs. We have committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs and are investing over £200 million over three years to strengthen the SEND offer in Best Start Family Hubs, including funding a family-facing practitioner in every hub to support children with additional needs and families from the earliest stages.
Our new SEND system will deliver a fully inclusive mainstream education, supported by £4bn investment. Children with special educational needs will access targeted and specialist support through a clear three-tier framework, with Individual Support Plans and stronger Education Health and Care Plans for complex needs. We will work with the sector and prioritise early intervention and cross-service collaboration to ensure better outcomes nationwide
The Strategy also includes measures to improve the experiences and health and education outcomes of children in temporary accommodation, including disabled children. This includes improving the quality and suitability of placements, £10.9 million in 2025/26 for 61 local authorities to increase access to support and services, and a new notification system so housing authorities can alert schools, health visitors and GPs when a child enters temporary accommodation, enabling timely support and reducing harmful impacts.
The publication of the strategy was just the first step on our journey to drive down child poverty over the next decade and beyond. We have always been clear that this will be a long-term strategy, and we will continue to consider families with disabled children.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Child Poverty Strategy includes measures to ensure that disabled children receive prompt, consistent and high-quality education and health access to prevent long-term poverty.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The impacts of policies contributing to the Child Poverty Strategy will be kept under review and monitored on an ongoing basis by departments using their own established approaches to considerations made under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Child Poverty Strategy will also continue to assess the poverty risk and prevalence for groups with protected characteristics, as far as the data and evidence gathering allow.
A full summary equalities analysis was published alongside the Child Poverty Strategy and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-summary-equalities-analysis
We are also taking specific steps to support children with additional needs. We have committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs and are investing over £200 million over three years to strengthen the SEND offer in Best Start Family Hubs, including funding a family-facing practitioner in every hub to support children with additional needs and families from the earliest stages.
Our new SEND system will deliver a fully inclusive mainstream education, supported by £4bn investment. Children with special educational needs will access targeted and specialist support through a clear three-tier framework, with Individual Support Plans and stronger Education Health and Care Plans for complex needs. We will work with the sector and prioritise early intervention and cross-service collaboration to ensure better outcomes nationwide
The Strategy also includes measures to improve the experiences and health and education outcomes of children in temporary accommodation, including disabled children. This includes improving the quality and suitability of placements, £10.9 million in 2025/26 for 61 local authorities to increase access to support and services, and a new notification system so housing authorities can alert schools, health visitors and GPs when a child enters temporary accommodation, enabling timely support and reducing harmful impacts.
The publication of the strategy was just the first step on our journey to drive down child poverty over the next decade and beyond. We have always been clear that this will be a long-term strategy, and we will continue to consider families with disabled children.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Child Poverty Strategy includes targeted support for disabled children in temporary or inadequate housing.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The impacts of policies contributing to the Child Poverty Strategy will be kept under review and monitored on an ongoing basis by departments using their own established approaches to considerations made under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Child Poverty Strategy will also continue to assess the poverty risk and prevalence for groups with protected characteristics, as far as the data and evidence gathering allow.
A full summary equalities analysis was published alongside the Child Poverty Strategy and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-summary-equalities-analysis
We are also taking specific steps to support children with additional needs. We have committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs and are investing over £200 million over three years to strengthen the SEND offer in Best Start Family Hubs, including funding a family-facing practitioner in every hub to support children with additional needs and families from the earliest stages.
Our new SEND system will deliver a fully inclusive mainstream education, supported by £4bn investment. Children with special educational needs will access targeted and specialist support through a clear three-tier framework, with Individual Support Plans and stronger Education Health and Care Plans for complex needs. We will work with the sector and prioritise early intervention and cross-service collaboration to ensure better outcomes nationwide
The Strategy also includes measures to improve the experiences and health and education outcomes of children in temporary accommodation, including disabled children. This includes improving the quality and suitability of placements, £10.9 million in 2025/26 for 61 local authorities to increase access to support and services, and a new notification system so housing authorities can alert schools, health visitors and GPs when a child enters temporary accommodation, enabling timely support and reducing harmful impacts.
The publication of the strategy was just the first step on our journey to drive down child poverty over the next decade and beyond. We have always been clear that this will be a long-term strategy, and we will continue to consider families with disabled children.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the extra costs incurred by disabled people, including for (1) equipment, (2) care, (3) transport, and (4) housing, are accounted for in poverty metrics and support provision.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
A range of poverty measures are included in the annual Households Below Average Income Statistics including Relative Low Income (After Housing Costs) and Material Deprivation. Relative Low Income involves setting a threshold based on 60% of net household income after deducing taxes and housing costs. It does not take account of any additional costs incurred due to disability. Material Deprivation involves asking families whether they can afford a set of essential items so the impact of any additional costs due to disability could impact on a family’s ability to afford these items so Material Deprivation metric does take account of these costs.
The extra costs disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), provide a contribution towards the extra costs (which includes equipment, care, transport and housing), that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the introduction of legally binding child poverty reduction targets on cross-departmental coordination and prioritisation of resources.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty, and sets out our ambition to tackle its structural drivers as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy. This Government has taken decisive action, with the interventions in the Strategy set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK), published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans and further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer. We will continue to have a dedicated team in government that, with Ministerial oversight, will work across government, the public and private sectors and civil society to maintain focus on tackling child poverty and build on the Strategy.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all. Deep material poverty estimates based on two-year averages will be published for each of the UK nations in the March 2026 HBAI publication.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to set (1) child poverty reduction targets, and (2) deep poverty reduction targets, at the beginning of each Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty, and sets out our ambition to tackle its structural drivers as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy. This Government has taken decisive action, with the interventions in the Strategy set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK), published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans and further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer. We will continue to have a dedicated team in government that, with Ministerial oversight, will work across government, the public and private sectors and civil society to maintain focus on tackling child poverty and build on the Strategy.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all. Deep material poverty estimates based on two-year averages will be published for each of the UK nations in the March 2026 HBAI publication.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to including statutory targets for reducing child poverty in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament, lifting 550,000 children out of poverty, and sets out our ambition to tackle its structural drivers as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy. This Government has taken decisive action, with the interventions in the Strategy set to lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Child Poverty Strategy: Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - GOV.UK), published alongside the Strategy, sets out our plans and further details on our approach will follow in a baseline report this Summer. We will continue to have a dedicated team in government that, with Ministerial oversight, will work across government, the public and private sectors and civil society to maintain focus on tackling child poverty and build on the Strategy.
Government already has a statutory duty to publish poverty statistics annually and we also hold ourselves to account on our progress through the monitoring and evaluation arrangements we have put in place, from this year and in future years, so that the progress we make is transparent for all. Deep material poverty estimates based on two-year averages will be published for each of the UK nations in the March 2026 HBAI publication.