Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what fiscal steps she is taking to tackle levels of child poverty in (a) families with three or more children and (b) other families in response to rising costs of living.

This Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting all low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children. In 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works.

Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has been expanded by £500 million, and the new 'Way to Work’ campaign is a national drive to get half a million people who are out of work into jobs in the next four months.

The Government is providing £12 billion of support to ease cost of living pressures, including help for working families, low-income households and the most vulnerable. We are increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing the Work Allowance to make sure work pays, freezing fuel duties to keep costs down, and providing targeted support to help households with their energy bills. A further £9 billion has been announced to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.

To support low income families further, we have increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers to £4.25, helping eligible low income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins. We are also investing over £200m a year to continue our Holiday Activities and Food programme which is already providing enriching activities and healthy meals to children in all English Local Authorities.