By IRNA
London : The number of children living in extreme poverty has increased by more than a quarter despite government pledges to half the number, according to figures obtained by the opposition Conservatives.
Statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions showed that the number of households living on less than 40 per cent of the average income increased to 1.8 million households in 2005/06, up from 1.4 million in 1998/99.
The rise was despite the number of children in households below 60 per cent of average income falling by 600,000 from 3.4 million to 2.8 million during the same period.
The Conservatives’ shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said the figures were “a damning reflection” of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s true record on poverty.
“Despite all the rhetoric, despite all the billions the government has spent, families in Britain are worse off under Gordon Brown,” Grayling said.
Coming on the day of the government announcing its annual budget, he suggested that there should be measures on the country’s tax credits system, that would help the 1.8 million of the poorest families and lift 300,000 children out of poverty.