Children attending schools classified as deprived were reported to have experienced more tooth decay than children in non-deprived schools, according to further analysis of the 2003 Children s Dental Health Survey.
Source: Press release 20 December 2004, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: ONS press release (pdf) | Analysis
Date: 2004-Dec
A Child Benefit Bill was published. Under it, child benefit would be paid to the families of young people aged 16-19 in unwaged work-based learning and those aged 19 completing a course of education or training.
Source: Child Benefit Bill, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | HMT press release | HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
The government said (in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report) that it would begin consultation on the level of top-up payments for children at age 7, under the child trust fund scheme due to be introduced in April 2005.
Source: Pre-Budget Report 2004: Opportunity for All - The strength to take the long-term decisions for Britain, Cm 6408, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 2 December 2004, columns 781-804, TSO
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | HMT press release | Hansard | CPAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
A report contained an analysis of low-moderate income couples with children, their characteristics and their labour market transitions. Most low-moderate income couples were in work and stayed in work, and there was an overall tendency to move into work for inactive and unemployed couples. The male-breadwinner model was strong among low-moderate income couples: but dual earning became more significant over time.
Source: Richard Dorsett and Diana Kasparova, Low-moderate Income Couples and the Labour Market, Working Paper 15, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf links) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Nov
A report said that children in Northern Ireland were almost twice as likely as those in Great Britain to live without basic necessities. More than 150,000 children - 38 per cent - in Northern Ireland were without at least one basic necessity, such as two sound meals a day: the figure for Great Britain was about 20 per cent.
Source: Marina Monteith and Eithne McLaughlin, The Bottom Line: Severe child poverty in Northern Ireland, Save the Children (020 7703 5400)
Links: Public Health News report
Date: 2004-Nov
An accord set out how central government (Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies, HM Treasury, Department for Education and Skills, Inland Revenue) and local authorities in England intended to work together to tackle child poverty.
Source: Combating Child Poverty, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176) and others
Links: Accord (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A report examined patterns of income and expenditure among families with severely disabled or seriously ill children. It was found that these families had low incomes relative to average family income, and were forced into higher expenditure due to the nature of the additional needs of their children. In many cases, this extra expenditure exceeded the family income by a significant margin. Many families struggled on a daily basis to fulfil the needs of their children, and used a variety of methods, including credit, to overcome their immediate financial hurdles.
Source: Mark Woolley, How do They Manage?: Income and expenditure of families with severely disabled children, Family Fund (mailto:info@familyfund.org.uk)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Nov
A report said that many inequalities continued between children in London particularly for black and minority ethnic children, and those from key disadvantaged groups. London had higher rates of overcrowding than any other region of the country, with 29 per cent of its children living in overcrowded conditions, compared to 13 per cent in England as a whole, as well as the highest rates of child poverty. Many inequalities persisted in child health, education, and in access to transport, housing, play and leisure facilities. The Mayor of London published a strategy to make the capital more child-friendly, including a ten-year timetable for delivery of 27 policies and 86 action points to improve the welfare, safety, health and participation in decision-making for children in the city.
Source: Suzanne Hood, The State of London s Children Report, Greater London Authority (020 7983 4100) | Making London Better for all Children and Young People, Greater London Authority
Links: Report summary (pdf) | Strategy (pdf) | GLA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
A report examined the experiences of debt of families with disabled children. Mortgage/rent arrears and credit card usage were much higher than in the general population; families with disabled children spent much more than other families servicing their debts; pension payments were much lower than in the general population; and many families reported being in very serious financial difficulties.
Source: Jill Harrison and Mark Woolley, Debt and Disability: The impact of debt on families with disabled children, Family Fund (mailto:info@familyfund.org.uk) and Contact a Family
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An article presented statistics on stillbirths and infant deaths registered in England and Wales that occurred in 2003, for which the infant death records were linked to their corresponding birth records. Very low birthweight babies (under 1,500 grams) were over 100 times more likely to be stillborn or die under one year of age. The infant mortality rate for low birthweight babies (under 2,500 grams) was 23 times higher than normal birthweight babies (2,500 grams or more). The infant mortality rate was highest among mothers aged under 20 (7.9 per 1,000 live births) followed by those aged 40 and over (6.2 per 1,000 live births). It was lowest among mothers in the 30-34 age group (4.3 per 1,000 live births).
Source: 'Infant and perinatal mortality by social and biological factors, 2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An article examined trends in inequalities in infant mortality in England and Wales between 1976 and 2000. It described variations in neonatal, post-neonatal and infant mortality by social class of father, age of mother, registration status, and birthweight.
Source: Joanne Maher and Alison Macfarlane, 'Inequalities in infant mortality: trends by social class, registration status, mother s age and birthweight, England and Wales, 1976-2000', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A survey sought to establish the extra costs asked of parents by state schools - including school uniform, sports kit, class materials, contributions to school fund, charity events, school trips, school photos, school meals and transport. In 2003, total annual costs were 736.22 per child ( 563.15 for primary schools, 948.11 for secondary schools). The largest individual area of cost was meals during school time.
Source: Tim Brunwin, Sam Clemens, Gemma Deakin and Ed Mortimer, The Cost of Schooling, Research Report 588, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf) | Citizens Advice press release | CPAG press release
Date: 2004-Nov
An article examined deaths of children aged under 8 in England and Wales by risk factors collected at birth registration. These included birthweight, multiple birth status, father's social class, mother's age, mother's country of birth and parents' marital status.
Source: Tania Corbin, 'Mortality in children aged under 8', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
The government announced that the transfer on to child tax credit of the remaining families with children in receipt of income support/jobseeker's allowance, originally planned to begin from October 2004, should be deferred until 2005. Families would continue to receive the same level of financial support through their benefits as they would from CTC.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 21 October 2004, column 39WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Oct
A think tank reportedly said that the government's childcare policies failed to meet the needs of disabled, ethnic minority and working-class white families. Childcare services were targeted at particular groups or areas, and reached only 46 per cent of all children living in poverty.
Source: Report by Focus Institute for Rights and Social Transformation, reported in The Guardian, 11 October 2004
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A report said that school meals required a wide range of government interventions in order to ensure that a healthy and nutritious diet was eaten by a high proportion of children.
Source: Carrieanne Hurley and Ashley Riley (eds.), Recipe for Change: Good practice guide to school meals, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979)
Links: CPAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Sep
A survey found that school clothing grants were available in far fewer parts of the country, and were worth less, than two years previously. This confirmed a steady decline over more than a decade in the availability and value of such grants.
Source: Help with School Uniform Costs: Update, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181)
Links: Report (pdf) | Citizens Advice press release | Guardian report | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Sep
Campaigners said that tackling poverty across generations should become a policy priority. The needs of children and pensioners living in poverty should not be seen as in conflict, or competing for limited resources.
Source: Family Misfortunes: The links between child and pensioner poverty, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913)
Links: ECP press release | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Sep
A report said that the introduction of working families' tax credit in 1999 led to an average increase of 7 percentage points in the proportion of lone mothers who worked 16 or more hours a week, with almost all this increase being in full-time employment. More than half of the effect was attributable to lone mothers who also chose paid childcare arrangements. The new credit also led to a significant reduction in lone mothers' subsequent fertility and in the rate at which they married.
Source: Marco Francesconi and Wilbert Van der Klaauw, The Consequences of 'In-work' Benefit Reform in Britain: New evidence from panel data, Working Paper 2004-13, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working paper (pdf) | ISER press release
Date: 2004-Aug
A briefing paper said that the government had made progress in reducing the number of children in poverty since 1999: but child poverty policies had thus far been focused on increasing household income. There was no national strategy to end child poverty that comprised both income maximisation and the provision of public services, such as childcare.
Source: Childcare and Child Poverty, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913) and Daycare Trust
Links: Briefing (pdf) | Daycare Trust press release
Date: 2004-Jul
A report said that families living on income support struggled to feed their children nutritious meals in the school holidays.
Source: Owen Gill and Neera Sharma, Food Poverty in the School Holidays, Barnardo s (01268 520224)
Links: Report (pdf) | Barnardo's press release | Guardian report | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jul
As part of the 2004 Spending Review, the government's decent homes target was amended to include a reference to families with children, 'in recognition of the government's commitment to tackling child poverty'. The amended target read: 'By 2010, bring all social housing into a decent condition with most of this improvement taking place in deprived areas, and for vulnerable households in the private sector, including families with children, increase the proportion who live in homes that are in decent condition'.
Source: Stability, Security and Opportunity for All: Investing for Britain s long-term future - 2004 Spending Review/New public spending plans 2005-2008, Cm 6237, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | 2004 Spending Review: Public Service Agreements 2005-2008, Cm 6238, HM Treasury, TSO
Links: Spending Review report (pdf links) | PSAs (pdf) | PSAs (pdf links)
Date: 2004-Jul
A report reviewed issues associated with child poverty in Europe. It examined in particular the family as a resource in the eradication of poverty, given the provision of effective and appropriate support. It took into account evidence from a wide range of research, and brought together elements from 10 countries: the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Sweden.
Source: Pierre Klein (translated by Alastair Nash), Valuing Children, Valuing Parents: Focusing on family in the fight against child poverty in Europe, ATD Fourth World (020 7703 3231)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jul
The government published the results of a review of child poverty. The report proposed a series of measures (some of them taken forward in the 2004 Spending Review) including: a new target halve the number of children in relative low-income households between 1998-99 and 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020; setting a target to halve by 2010-11 the number of children suffering a combination of material deprivation and relative low income; enhancing the provision of good-quality, accessible, childcare; a significant increase in new social housing to help tackle homelessness among families with children; and additional investment in childcare places and services for disadvantaged children. The Chancellor gave a lecture reviewing government thinking on child poverty.
Source: Child Poverty Review, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558) | Gordon Brown MP (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Our Children are our Future, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Centenary Lecture 8 July 2004, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | Text of lecture | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jul
A campaign briefing said that over a third (38 per cent) of the children living in London were in poverty.
Source: Capital Losses: London's child poverty problem, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913) and Association of London Government
Links: Briefing (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jul
A taskforce report said that there was a gap between the aspirations of the Welsh Assembly Government and the reported experiences of children and young people living in poverty. The Welsh Assembly government began consultation on the report's findings.
Source: Report of the Child Poverty Task Group, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A schools inspectorate report said that Early Excellence Centres were successful in tackling the effects of child poverty in the most deprived communities. Three-quarters of those inspected were providing a good service to their local community.
Source: Children at the Centre: An evaluation of early excellence centres, HMI 222, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf) | OFSTED press release
Date: 2004-Jun
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on child poverty. It said that it was 'broadly on track' to meet the target of reducing by a quarter the number of children in low-income households between 1998-99 and 2004-05.
Source: Report on Child Poverty in the UK: Government response to the 2nd report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Cm 6200, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs report | CPAG press release | ECP press release | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jun
A report said that nearly half of all parents (46 per cent) on a low income had gone short of food over the previous year to feed someone else in their family. The diets of significant numbers of children and parents were nutritionally poor.
Source: Annie Seeley and Tim Lobstein, Going Hungry: The struggle to eat healthily on a low income, NCH (0845 762 6579)
Links: Report (pdf) | NCH press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jun
A summary report highlighted a selection of findings from the evaluation to date of the Sure Start local programmes, including preliminary findings from a study looking at its impact on outcomes for children and parents. A second report described changes in Sure Start local programme communities since 2000-01.
Source: Towards Understanding Sure Start Local Programmes: Findings to date, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Characteristics of Sure Start Local Programme Areas: 2001/2, National Evaluation Report 5, Department for Education and Skills
Links: Towards Understanding report (pdf) | Characteristics report (pdf) | Characteristics summary (pdf) | DfES press release
Date: 2004-Jun
The Child Trust Funds Act 2004 received Royal assent. The Act provided for a lump-sum payment of 250 to all children born after August 2002, held in a fund and payable when they reached the age of 18. The payment would rise to 500 for children in low-income groups. Parents and others would be able to make additional payments to it, up to an annual ceiling.
Source: Child Trust Funds Act 2004, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes
Date: 2004-May
The government published regulations (revised from a previous draft) on the operation of child trust funds from 2005. Among other detailed changes, a wider range of providers would be allowed to enter the market.
Source: Child Trust Funds Regulations 2004, Statutory Instrument 2004/1450, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Statutory Instrument (pdf) | Explanatory notes (pdf) | Inland Revenue press release
Date: 2004-May
A report highlighted the significant increase in public spending on children in England under the Labour government since 1997: but it also raised concerns over the proportion of the extra spending reaching the poorest children, particularly in the areas of health and education.
Source: Tom Sefton, A Fair Share of Welfare: Public spending on children in England, CASEreport 25, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679) and Save the Children
Links: Paper (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
The government clarified the timetable for transferring the child elements of jobseeker's allowance and income support to child tax credit payments.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 27 May 2004, column 1797W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-May
A new book examined the impact of child poverty and considered what further steps the government needed to take to achieve its goal of ending child poverty by 2020.
Source: Paul Dornan (ed.), Ending Child Poverty by 2020: The first five years, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979)
Links: CPAG press release
Date: 2004-May
A report summarised the early work carried out by a team evaluating the impact of the Children s Fund on the prevention of social exclusion of children and young people.
Source: National Evaluation of the Children s Fund/University of Birmingham, Developing Collaboration in Preventative Services for Children and Young People: The National Evaluation of the Children s Fund First Annual Report 2003, Research Report 528, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
A report focused on the link between childhood disadvantage and poor health in adulthood. It drew on evidence from epidemiological studies and social surveys to develop a framework that mapped the pathways through which a disadvantaged start in life could compromise adult health.
Source: Hilary Graham and Chris Power, Childhood Disadvantage and Adult Health: A lifecourse framework, Health Development Agency (020 7430 0850)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
A report by a committee of MPs said that the government's target of reducing child poverty by a quarter by 2004 was likely to be met: but meeting subsequent targets (halving poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020) would be much more challenging since it would involve helping those who were most disadvantaged. In order to halve child poverty the poorest families - measured after housing costs - would need an extra 10 per week per child. A major contribution to meeting the targets was employment, which in turn necessitated more availability of affordable childcare, on top of that announced by government: accessible and affordable childcare available to all by 2010 should be the government's goal.
Source: Child Poverty in the UK, Second Report (Session 2003-04), HC 85, House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | CPAG press release | Citizens Advice press release | End Child Poverty press release | Barnardo's press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Apr
A report summarised the findings of a study (based in deprived, high-crime communities) designed to to explore children s understanding of social and moral responsibility, community involvement, and political literacy. Children generally understood the reasons for rules and accepted their legitimacy. The biggest complaint by children, particularly about the school environment, was that they were not listened to. Children were quick to spot unfairness, especially where they felt that rules were not being applied reasonably.
Source: Jean Hine, Children and Citizenship, Online Report 08/04, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
Researchers explored the characteristics and circumstances of families in 2002, based on analysis of the Families and Children Study. 1 in 10 mothers described their health over the previous 12 months as not good . Parents of children aged 14-15 reported that 1 in 20 had been in contact with the police in the previous year, while 13 per cent were reported to have had problems with smoking, drinking or drugs. Of families with children, 5 per cent of couple families had no parent working any hours per week, but almost half (47 per cent) of lone parents were not working any hours. The barriers to work most frequently identified by mothers who were not looking to return to work were: a desire to spend time with their children (45 per cent), illness/disability (14 per cent), and affordability of childcare (12 per cent). Of lone-parent families, 34 per cent had a total family income of less than 200 per week, compared to 5 per cent of couple families. A fifth of all families in 2002 were in receipt of working families tax credit. Among families where at least one child had a non-resident parent, 52 per cent had an order or agreement for child support in place; of those with an order or assessment, 64 per cent had actually received payments. Being out of work had the strongest relationship with material deprivation: 26 per cent of both lone-parent and couple families with no one working, or working less than 16 hours per week, went without four or more leisure activities.
Source: Matt Barnes and Maxine Willitts, Families and Children in Britain: Findings from the 2002 Families and Children study (FACS), Research Report 206, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Mar
A report provided an interim evaluation of the Local Network Fund for Children and Young People. (The fund is a five-year small grants programme, totalling 150 million: it is designed to take a preventative approach to poverty among children and young people by funding groups best able to provide local solutions to child poverty; and to reach out to children and young people most in need and who have trouble accessing services.)
Source: Gary Craig et al., A Promising Start?: The Local Network Fund for Children and Young People - Interim findings from the national evaluation, Research Report 520, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
A report warned the government that it would not achieve its aim of halving child poverty by 2010 without injecting at least 6.8 billion a year more into the pockets of poorer families.
Source: Lisa Harker with Claire Kober and Jonathan Stearn, Poverty in a Land of Plenty, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
The government gave a detailed response to a report by a committee of MPs on the proposed child trust fund scheme.
Source: Government Response to the Committee's Second Report on Child Trust Funds (HC 86), First Special Report (Session 2003-04), HC 387, House of Commons Treasury Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2004-Mar
A report presented an interim evaluation of pilot 'information sharing and assessment' projects, designed to ensure that all children at risk of social exclusion were identified early, referred to appropriate services, and monitored through improved information sharing between agencies, professionals and supporting operational processes.
Source: Hedy Cleaver, Julie Barnes, David Bliss and Deborah Cleaver, Developing Identification, Referral and Tracking Systems: Evaluation of the processes undertaken by trailblazer authorities - Interim report, Research Report 521, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
A report highlighted the problem of poverty among very young children. It said that poverty in the earliest years could result in underachievement at school, poor health, early contact with the police, higher levels of unemployment as young adults, and relatively low wages. There could be up to a 14 per cent difference in cognitive development due to a child s socio-economic background by the age of just 22 months. Support during pregnancy and the first year could help improve parenting skills and child outcomes.
Source: Creating Real Choices: Supporting all families with very young children, Daycare Trust (020 7840 3350) and Maternity Alliance
Links: Daycare Trust press release
Date: 2004-Mar
The government pledged (in the Budget) to continue the Children's Fund until 2008. It said this would to allow a smooth transition to new children's trusts, which would bring together local child health, education and social services. (The Fund supports schemes to stop children aged 5-13 failing at school and slipping into lives of crime; it was previously expected to come to an end in 2006.)
Source: Prudence for a Purpose: A Britain of stability and strength - Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, HC 301, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 March 2004, columns 321-336, TSO
Links: Report (pdf links) | HMT press releases | Budget speech | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
A think-tank report assessed the likelihood that the government would meet its child poverty target in 2004 05, in the light of decisions made in the 2003 Pre-Budget Report. It said that the government should comfortably meet its target measuring incomes before housing costs, and was on course to 'just' hit its target measuring incomes after housing costs
Source: Mike Brewer, Will the Government Hit its Child Poverty Target in 2004-05?, Briefing Note 47, Institute for Fiscal Studies (web publication only)
Links: Briefing Note (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
The government announced an extra 20 million for the Children's Fund in 2004-05, largely reversing a previously proposed cut of 24.6 million. There would also be a 6 million contingency fund available, bringing total potential funding to 166 million (compared to 164.6 million spending in 2003-04).
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 25 February 2004, columns 447-448W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Children Now news report | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Feb
The Child Trust Funds Bill was given a third reading. The Bill would provide for a lump-sum payment of 250 to all children born after August 2002, held in a fund and payable when they reached the age of 18. The payment would rise to 500 for children in low-income groups. Parents and others would be able to make additional payments to it.
Source: Child Trust Funds Bill, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 3 February 2004, columns 649-734, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | HOC research briefing (pdf) | Hansard
Date: 2004-Feb
The government published draft regulations containing further details of its proposed 'child trust funds'. Charges for managing the funds would be capped at 1.5 per cent per year (rather than the 1 per cent previously suggested).
Source: Draft Child Trust Funds Regulations 2004, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 2 February 2004, columns 25-26WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Draft regulations (pdf) | Commentary (pdf) | Hansard | Inland Revenue press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Feb
A report provided a comprehensive, quantitative analysis of trends in child-contingent support from the mid-1970s to the introduction of the new tax credits, and related this to changes in tax and benefit policy, the characteristics of households with children, and the costs of raising children. It said that child-contingent support accounted for a higher proportion of national income and total government spending in 2003 than at any time since 1975.
Source: Stuart Adam and Mike Brewer, Supporting Families: The financial costs and benefits of children since 1975, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary | JRF Findings 124 | JRF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jan