The government has been found guilty of acting unlawfully in failing to establish a Child Poverty Commission in time to advise on its child poverty strategy.

A High Court judge ruled that the government failed to meet the legal timetable for establishing a Child Poverty Commission under the Child Poverty Act 2010. The delay in creating the Commission meant the government’s child poverty strategy (announced in April 2011) had not been informed by expert independent advice.

But the court rejected another claim brought by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), and declined to adjudicate on the government’s refusal to calculate the effect of its strategy on child poverty levels.

CPAG said it will ask for the existing strategy to be reviewed by the new Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission as soon as it is set up, probably in the autumn.

Source: Press release 17 July 2012, Child Poverty Action Group
Link: CPAG press release