By IRNA
London : Almost a million and a half children are living in poverty in Britain despite having a working parent – as many as when Labour came to power in 1997, according to a report published Thursday.
The Institute for Public Policy Research, which is closely associated with the government, warned that low wages mean Labour’s of “making work pay” is failing many families and that the benefits system creates little incentive for a second parent to work.
After coming to power, Labour has pledged to end child poverty by 2020. One of the main routes has been to get people back to work and make pay relative to benefits.
Around 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty in the past 10 years, but IPPR reported that 1.4 m, the same as in 1997, are still poor despite having at least one working parent.
The figures show that while some jobless households have found work, and some working households have lifted themselves out of poverty, most working households in poverty have stayed there.
The report urges the government to raise the minimum wage in line with average earnings, enforce it more stringently and extend the adult rate to 21-year old, instead of 22. It also suggested a higher rate is needed for London.
Last June, Dave the Children charity calculated that as many as 1.3 m children in the UK are in families that were below the severe poverty line, including one in every six London children.
A UN report last year warned that children growing up in the UK were worse off than previous generations, saying they suffer greater deprivation, worse relationships with their parents and are exposed to more risks than those in any other wealthy country in the world.