Barnardo's Chief Executive Lynn Perry has responded to the Chancellor's Spring Statement.
Following the Chancellor's Spring Statement in parliament today, Lynn Perry has spoken about what the announcements mean for children, young people and families.
She says: “The Spring Statement today offered little hope to the 4.3 million children and their families who are living in poverty. In fact, the welfare changes announced today will make things even worse, putting an extra 50,000 children into relative poverty. These children face devastating impacts on their health, wellbeing and life opportunities long into adulthood.
“While we welcome the investment to recruit 400 new foster carers, much more action is urgently needed to achieve the government’s ambition to create the healthiest generation of children. Planned freezes to universal credit will add to the worry facing families already struggling to make ends meet.
"Looking ahead to the Spending Review, we urge the government to prioritise investment in lifting children out of poverty – an investment in children is an investment in the country’s future.”