In an important new report, Save the Children has highlighted the rising scale and intensity of poverty facing millions of children living in Britain's poorest families. Rising food prices,sharp increases in property rent, fewer employment opportunities and steep hikes in energy bills are just three of the factors that have affected hundreds of thousands of Britain's most vulnerable households. In the United States food stamps are required by millions. In Britain we are seeing a rapid expansion of and demand for food banks provided by charities to offer assistance to families who live hand-to-mouth for weeks and months on end.

The causes of poverty are multiple and complex and require policy interventions that are targetted, timely and effective in addresses the root causes. Save the Children makes the case for reforming welfare benefits so that working parents to keep more of their earnings before benefits are withdrawn. They are lobbying for extra child care support so 80% of costs are covered. And they want more employers to sign up to the campaign for a living wage - a wage higher than the statutory national minimum wage in the labour market.

Read the Save the Children Report here