The UK government has formally published its long-awaited strategy to address child poverty, setting out a series of measures aimed at reducing the number of children living in low-income households. The document, released on 5th December 2025, outlines a plan that focuses heavily on helping parents into work and boosting support in the early years of a child's life.
Core Pillars of the Government's Approach
The strategy is built around two main pillars. The first is a strong emphasis on parental employment, with the government arguing that a stable job is the most reliable route out of poverty for families. To support this, the plan includes expanded childcare offerings and more intensive employment support programmes aimed at parents.
The second pillar involves strengthening early years intervention. This includes proposals to improve access to crucial services like health visiting and family support, with the goal of giving children a better start in life. The government states that these interventions are designed to prevent long-term disadvantages from taking root.
Understanding the Poverty Metrics and Targets
A key point of debate surrounding the strategy is its use of specific poverty metrics. The government has committed to two official targets: reducing relative poverty and absolute poverty. Relative poverty is defined as living in a household with income below 60% of the contemporary median. Absolute poverty is defined as living below 60% of the 2010/11 median income, adjusted for inflation.
However, the strategy has drawn criticism for not adopting a third, broader measure known as 'persistent poverty'. This metric tracks families living in poverty for multiple years and is favoured by many poverty advocacy groups and experts who argue it better captures the experience of entrenched disadvantage.
Reactions and Analysis from Experts and Campaigners
The publication of the strategy has elicited a mixed response. While some have welcomed the focus on employment and early years, leading child poverty charities and opposition parties have expressed significant disappointment.
Critics argue that the plan avoids direct income-based solutions, such as increasing core benefits like Universal Credit or removing controversial policies like the two-child benefit limit and the benefit cap. They contend that without addressing the fundamental issue of inadequate household income, especially for larger families or those where work is not possible, the strategy will fail to make a substantial dent in the poverty figures.
Analysts point out that the success of the employment-focused approach hinges on the availability of good-quality, well-paid jobs and accessible, affordable childcare. Concerns have been raised about whether the proposed support will be sufficient to overcome these structural barriers, particularly in a challenging economic climate.
The release of this strategy places the issue of child poverty firmly back on the political agenda, setting the stage for ongoing scrutiny of its implementation and real-world impact on the millions of children currently living in low-income households across the United Kingdom.
