Getting the child poverty strategy we need: A co-produced agenda for change

Getting the child poverty strategy we need: a co-produced agenda for change Authors: Henry Parkes, Prof Ruth Patrick, Uisce Jordan, Mhairi Ross, Katie Pybus, Prof Ashwin Kumar and Changing Realities participants About the authors: ● ● ● ● ● ●

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Henry Parkes is Head of Work, Social Security and Living Standards at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Professor Ruth Patrick is Professor of Social Policy at the University of York and leads the Changing Realities programme Dr Uisce Jordan is a Research Associate at the University of York and contributor to the Changing Realities programme Dr Mhairi Ross is a Research Affiliate at the University of Glasgow and contributor to the Changing Realities programme. Dr Katie Pybus is a Lecturer in Mental Health at the University of York and contributor to the Changing Realities programme Professor Ashwin Kumar is Director of Research & Policy at the Institute for Public Policy Research, and Professor of Social Policy at Manchester Metropolitan University Changing Realities is a participatory online project involving almost 200 parents and carers living on low income across the UK.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Thanks to Abby Jitendra and Katie Schmeuker of the JRF for their helpful comments and feedback on earlier versions of the draft. And thanks to Dave Hawkey at IPPR and Lizzie Flew at CPAG for their comments and suggestions. Most of all, thanks to all the parents and carers who take part in Changing Realities and gave up their time to document everyday life on a low income and develop recommendations about the changes needed to improve things.

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Getting the child poverty strategy we need: A co-produced agenda for change

Published on Jun 4, 2025

IPPR

The UK government has a time-limited opportunity to make a decisive difference to child poverty in its upcoming strategy. Any credible child poverty strategy must act directly to put more money into parents’ pockets. This starts with the removal of the two-child limit and benefit cap, alongside restoring benefit rates for children in real-terms to before the benefit freeze. Beyond this, the system should better recognise the challenges lone parents face, for example by allowing them access the higher standard allowance currently reserved for couples. Together the changes outlined across this briefing could lift a million children out of poverty by the end of the decade. Without them, we will only see child poverty rise. This report is a collaboration between Changing Realities and IPPR, with support from CPAG. We have developed a roadmap for change that will make a real and lasting difference to families and children across the UK.