Clarion responds to the Government’s new Child Poverty Strategy
Kate Still, Chief Customer Officer at Clarion Housing Group
The Government has today published its new Child Poverty Strategy, Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty, outlining a series of commitments aimed at reducing child poverty and improving outcomes for families across England.
With 4.45 million children currently living in poverty across the UK, the strategy sets out measures addressing rising living costs, barriers to employment and childcare, and the growing number of families placed in unsuitable temporary accommodation.
A central element of the strategy is the expansion of childcare support for parents on Universal Credit. From next year, upfront childcare costs will also be available to parents returning from parental leave, helping more people back into work without facing significant financial obstacles. The Government has also confirmed that families with more than two children will be able to receive childcare support for all their children, a change that may ease pressures for many larger households.
The strategy includes a stronger focus on tackling the challenges facing families in temporary accommodation. Measures include a commitment to end the unlawful use of bed and breakfast accommodation beyond six weeks, alongside £8 million in funding for pilot programmes in the areas of highest need. In addition, a further £950 million has been announced from 2026 to deliver up to 5,000 high-quality homes for temporary accommodation by 2030.
To ensure children receive the support they need, the Government also intends to introduce a new legal duty requiring councils to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation.
Kate Still, Chief Customer Officer at Clarion Housing Group, said:
"Every day we see the pressures facing families, with our latest Clarion Index resident survey finding that half of our residents struggle to afford the essentials while many parents face extensive challenges accessing good, well-paid and secure work."
"Removing obstacles to employment, supporting parents with childcare and reducing the time families spend in unsuitable accommodation are all critical, and we welcome today’s strategy which begins to tackle these issues."
"With more than 164,000 children living in temporary accommodation, ensuring every family has a safe, secure roof over their head is one of the most important steps in giving children the best start in life, and we look forward to working with ministers to ensure these commitments deliver lasting change for families."
Clarion will review the full strategy in detail and continue working with government, councils and partners to strengthen support for parents and give them the foundations they need to help them and their children thrive.