Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the cost of living on levels of child poverty.

The proportion of people in absolute poverty is at record lows. Since 2010 there are 600,000 fewer people in absolute poverty, including 200,000 fewer children. Work is the most effective way out of poverty and unemployment has not been lower since 1975. There is more to do and the government is committed to supporting families with the cost of living. At the Autumn Budget, the government announced that from this April the National Living Wage will increase by 4.4% and the personal allowance to £11,850. The government has also frozen fuel duty for the eighth successive year. Last April, the government published its “Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families” strategy. This focused on measures that tackle the root causes of poverty, in particular workless households and educational attainment.