Thank you for contacting me about child poverty.
I can assure you that eradicating child poverty is an absolute priority for me personally and for the Government. I proudly stood on a manifesto that pledged to continue efforts through the tax and benefits system to reduce poverty, including child poverty. I firmly believe that children should grow up in an environment with no limits to their potential and I am pleased the Government is making it a priority to put more money in the pockets of low-paid workers.
I know that many children and parents in our constituency faced an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer due to the pandemic. To reflect this, additional funding was provided for a ‘Covid Summer Food Fund’ which enabled children who are eligible for free school meals to receive food vouchers covering the 6-week holiday period. I voted with the opposition in Parliament to extend this funding further over subsequent school holidays as I knew what a lifeline the scheme had been for many families in the constituencies who were struggling badly with food costs.
This is part of the wider support available for children and families at this challenging time. I am delighted that an additional £63 million has been distributed to local authorities in England to help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials. In addition, Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit have been temoporarily uplifted by around £1,000 a year as part of an injection of over £9.3 billion into the welfare system. I voted to extend the £20 per week uplift beyond the original end date as it has made a huge difference to families across Teignbridge who would otherwise have struggled to get by during the pandemic.
I will be keeping a close watch on this issue and will do all I can to ensure local children are protected from poverty.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
