Mayor Woodley: Why we'll work with the government to lift children out of poverty
A statement on the government's new child poverty strategy.
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, responds to today's commitment from government to lift over half a million children out of poverty through its new child poverty strategy.
"As a borough on the frontline of the child poverty crisis – and tackling an extreme lack of affordable family housing and reliance on temporary accommodation – today’s announcement from the government is vital.
“My priority since becoming Mayor of Hackney has been to lift families in our borough out of poverty. That’s why we’re delivering one of the most ambitious programmes of new council homes in the country, investing millions in our voluntary organisations to reduce inequality, and supporting the Mayor of London’s rollout of free school meals.
“But we’ve long said that we need the underlying causes of child poverty to be addressed, so that we can work with families on the ground in Hackney to give every child the best start in life.
“As Mayor of Hackney I’ve worked collaboratively with local MPs and community leaders to champion our Hackney values and reflect these to Government ministers. I’m pleased that today’s announcement shows local values being reflected on the national stage.
“Alongside the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, today’s announcement shows a government that has heard that message loud and clear. We are ready to work with them to turn this commitment into real change.”
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney