Social security benefits are an essential tool for reducing child poverty, according to international evidence highlighted in a paper published by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).
The paper, prepared by researchers at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, illustrates the effect of taxes and benefits on child poverty rates across the European Union in 2012.
CPAG expressed concern that if the coalition government's cuts to UK social security spending are not accompanied by effective action to bring down the pre-tax and transfer child poverty rate, they could leave millions more children exposed to poverty.
Source: H. Xavier Jara and Chrysa Leventi, Note on EU27 Child Poverty Rates, Child Poverty Action Group
Links: Research note | Explanatory note | CPAG press release