The Child Poverty Act obtained Royal Assent on 25 March 2010. This legislation ensures sustained action must be taken to tackle child poverty by this, and future, governments, by the devolved administrations and by local government and their partners.

Measuring success

The Act sets four challenging UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. These targets are based on the proportion of children living in:

  • relative low income (whether the incomes of the poorest families are keeping pace with the growth of incomes in the economy as a whole) – target is less than ten per cent
  • combined low income and material deprivation (a wider measure of people’s living standards) – target is less than five per cent
  • absolute low income (whether the poorest families are seeing their income rise in real terms) – target is less than five per cent
  • persistent poverty (length of time in poverty) – target is to be set in regulations by 2015.

Strategy for change and accountability

The Act establishes an accountability framework to make sure progress is continuously made and the 2020 goal is met.

The Government is required to produce child poverty strategies that run through to 2020 and are refreshed every three years. The strategies will set out what action is needed to meet the targets in the Act. The Government will be held to account on the effectiveness of these strategies and on the progress made through annual progress reports to Parliament.

Local responsibility

Local authorities (LAs) and their partners know the challenges their residents face better than anyone else, including central government. This knowledge allows them to shape their services to fit the needs of their residents and use their resources most effectively.

Because of this, the Act puts a duty on all LAs and their partners to cooperate to tackle child poverty in their area. They are required to prepare and publish a local needs assessment and also to prepare a joint local child poverty strategy. 

Further information

The Child Poverty Act can be viewed in full on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) using the link on this page.

Enquiries on the Act from LAs, their partners and other interested parties should be emailed to the CPU.

Contact details

Child Poverty Unit
Email: contacts.cpu@childpovertyunit.gsi.gov.uk