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date: 18 August 2008

embargo: 00.01hrs Wednesday 20 August 2008

Inequality just as bad as poverty for children, says TUC

The TUC publishes a briefing today (Wednesday) revealing that inequality is just as damaging to children as poverty, and harms their health, education and well-being.

Poverty and inequality and children finds that, while the UK has had some success in reducing the level of poverty over the last decade, progress on social inequality has been much more muted. Over the last 30 years inequality has grown rapidly in the UK, and the gap between the top tenth of the population and the bottom tenth has doubled since 1979.

Inequality harms the life chances of children. At birth, it is likely that babies with a low-birth weight will be from a lower socio-economic group, and low birth weight is associated with infant mortality, developmental problems and behavioural problems at school.

The briefing highlights that poor nutrition and accommodation, again linked with a lower socio-economic group, are connected to childhood health problems including asthma and other respiratory diseases, developmental problems, immune system problems, depression and stress. Children growing up in overcrowded households are 10 times more likely to develop meningitis, and one in four children living in unfit housing attends Accident and Emergency every year.

The report finds yet another class divide in education, with children of parents from higher socio-economic groups far more likely than others to achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C.

Inequality in the UK has not only grown over time, it is high internationally. By European standards the UK is a very unequal country; Ireland and Italy have the same level of inequality as the UK, but Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark are all significantly lower and no EU countries have a higher level.

Poverty and inequality and children includes international research by UNICEF which found that children's wellbeing was significantly correlated to a country's level of income inequality and the percentage of children in relative poverty, but not to a country's or state's average income. This suggests that reducing inequality would do more to promote children's well-being than further increases in economic growth.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'We need to take action to reduce inequality now. The causes of inequality are widespread, but the remedies for inequality are far clearer - raising the skill levels of those without qualifications, and tackling the gender pay gap would be a good start.

'All the evidence shows that countries with a greater degree of equality also have more social mobility. That is why the TUC supports End Child Poverty's call for an extra £3 billion worth of benefits and tax credits for children, and that is why unions are supporting ECP's 'Keep the Promise' demonstration on 4 October in London.'

The briefing recommends reducing original income inequality, by:

• Raising the skill levels of people with low or no qualifications;
• Addressing discrimination against women workers, especially on the grounds of motherhood;
• Removing the pay penalty that workers face if they work part-time;
• Strengthening the position of vulnerable workers, by introducing stronger rights for agency workers, and better enforcing existing rights such as the national minimum wage;
• Promoting unions and collective bargaining - most economists are agreed that weaker unions offer part of the explanation for growing inequality.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Poverty and inequality and children is available at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/povertyandchildren.doc

- The TUC is a member of the End Child Poverty coalition. The Campaign to End Child Poverty includes children's and other charities, social justice groups, faith-groups, trade unions, businesses and many others concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK who are working together for change. For information visit www.endchildpoverty.org.uk

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

- Congress 2008 will be held at the Brighton Centre, Brighton from Monday 8 September to Thursday 11 September. All applications for media passes must be received no later than noon Tuesday 2 September. Any applications received after this date will be processed in Brighton and subject to a £50 administration fee. The form for media credentials, plus information on how to book wireless internet access and a phone line at the Brighton Centre can be accessed at www.tuc.org.uk/mediacredentials

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (800 words) issued 20 Aug 2008