Children’s Budget 2023

Abstract

Over the last 12 months, children and their families faced great uncertainty and disruption to their lives, first through pandemic restrictions and more recently with unprecedented cost of living increases. For some, this has compounded existing disadvantage. For others, it has presented children and parents with and forced them to confront certain adversities and challenges for the first time. Cost of living increases risks pulling more and more children into poverty and deprivation, and decreasing standards of living. The longer children live in poverty and deprivation the greater an impact it will have on their health, wellbeing, and future development. Growing up in poverty can negatively affect the entire life course of a child, limiting opportunities and making it more difficult for them to realise their full emotional, educational, and social potential. Budget 2023 must prioritise those most disadvantaged by recent price increases, targeting support measures at those most vulnerable. The Government must provide an appropriate safety net to ensure that all children at the very least have access to daily essentials. Additionally the government needs to make sure that families, once they have secured sufficient finances, have the support they need to address issues in their lives.