Child Poverty Strategy

Sarah Russell Excerpts

Monday 8th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

The Conservative party, as they have done over many years, since they introduced many of the punishing changes around social security, are using our children as pawns to make a political argument that is not borne out by the evidence. Children in my hon. Friend’s community will benefit from the difference that a Labour Government are making, whether through lifting the two-child limit, expanding free school meals or improved childcare for families. It is through his election to this place and through securing a Labour Government last July that we are seeing this difference.

[Sarah Russell (Congleton) (Lab)]

Some 174,000 children live in temporary accommodation, at a cost of £2.2 billion, so I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to reducing those numbers. However, even if they were reduced dramatically, a lot of children would still face safeguarding problems. Eighty children died while living in temporary accommodation last year, so will she outline how she will facilitate better information sharing between services and local authorities, specifically with regard to children in temporary accommodation?

[Bridget Phillipson]

This is an enormous challenge, as my hon. Friend identifies. We announced a clear pledge to prevent deaths caused by gaps in healthcare. We know some of the terrible outcomes for children caused by poor-quality accommodation. We are investing more and we are determined to bring that down. It will require a lot of us, right across Government, to work on this issue. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will shortly be setting out its homelessness strategy, with further measures to bring down the use of temporary accommodation and to support families.