Any credible child poverty strategy must act directly to put more money into parents’ pockets. This starts with the removal of the two-child limit and bene

Looking after children is important and vital work; and it’s imperative that parents and carers have access to high quality and affordable childcare, both in order to support their children’s development and also to support them in their other forms of work: be it education, training, caring, or participation in the formal labour market. Recent years have seen a growing focus on the importance of improving the UK’s childcare offer, and we have seen a range of policy changes to try and improve what is provided and on what basis. This briefing sets out the experiences of parents and carers on a low income, and makes clear the distance that still needs to be travelled if we are to move to a situation in which all parents can access affordable and decent childcare provision. We share evidence of parents’ experiences and challenges around finding childcare that fits with working hours; systemic issues with affordability; and the pressing need to improve support for childcare through Universal Credit. There is also a need to improve childcare for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and to rethink how childcare support is made available during school holidays.

Katie Pybus, author of 'Fairer Welfare Systems for Better Mental Health', shows how planned cuts to disability benefits risk worsening mental health and poverty, highlighting the need for a more compa...

This project will explore the extent of the devolution of social security within the UK and the realities, risks, and opportunities this poses for families with dependent children.

Cutting benefits doesn’t necessarily reduce costs or move people closer to the labour market, writes Katie Pybus The debate over rising numbers of people claiming disability benefits in the United K...

The process of applying for financial help is already humiliating and distressing enough, writes Gabriel Kennedy. Families like mine – I have two autistic children – need support and compassion, not m...