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Responding to the announcement by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith today (Thursday) that the government plans to change the way child poverty is measured – just as new figures show the target of halving the number of children in poverty by 2010 has been missed – TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

“Today's figures show that the last government's investments made a huge difference to reducing child and pensioner poverty.
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date: 14 June 2012

embargo: For immediate release

Responding to the announcement by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith today (Thursday) that the government plans to change the way child poverty is measured - just as new figures show the target of halving the number of children in poverty by 2010 has been missed - TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Today's figures show that the last government's investments made a huge difference to reducing child and pensioner poverty.

'However, there is a real danger that the vital headway the last government made into getting children out of poverty will now go into reverse. Moving the goalposts on what constitutes poverty won't help improve conditions for children living below the breadline. Spending on tax credits and benefits took children out of poverty now government cuts are sending them straight back.

'The current definition of poverty already includes many extra items, and it is simply foolish to say money isn't important for poor people. Instead of changing the poverty indicators the government needs to tackle the problem, and do something about the spiralling economic and social costs of the increased poverty its policies look set to cause.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

- Congress 2012 will be held at the Brighton Centre from Sunday 9 September to Wednesday 12 September. Free media passes can be obtained by visiting www.tuc.org.uk/mediacredentials and completing an online form. Applications must be in by noon on Wednesday 29 August. Any received later than that will be processed in Brighton and will cost £50. Please note that the Brighton Centre requires 60 days' notice for telephone line facilities. Details available on the link above.

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: egibson@tuc.org.uk

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