Chris Huhne MP backs End Child Poverty Campaign

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 19th Nov 2007

Local MP Chris Huhne is calling on the Government to End Child Poverty in the UK and assist families on low incomes in Eastleigh. The move comes in the run up to Universal Children's Day on November 20th.

Mr Huhne attended a rally outside the Treasury on November 7th (see photo) to demand urgent action from the Government to meet its target of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020 in the UK.

There are currently 1.3 million children living in severe poverty in the UK. A staggering 11% of children in Eastleigh are also in families living on out- of-work benefits.

Chris Huhne MP said:

"11% of children in Eastleigh live in families who are on out-of-work benefits - while this is a lower then the 20% national average it is still unacceptable, especially in a wealthy country such as ours."

"A lot of child poverty is hidden. It is easy to forget in our leafy area, that many families are struggling to afford to pay their bills. Those surviving on benefits can have as little as £19 a day to spend on food, electricity, gas, clothes and other essential items for their children."

National Energy Action (NEA), the UK's leading charity pressing for warm homes for children to live in said:

"Our great thanks go to Chris Huhne for supporting the End Child Poverty Campaign. With his support we hope that Gordon Brown will make 2008 a children's budget for lasting change."