Olivia Blake MP: “Child Poverty Won’t End if We Ignore Migrant Children”

A recent article by MP Olivia Blake in the Parliament Politics highlights concerns about the exclusion of migrant children from the UK’s wider child poverty reduction efforts. She notes that children in migrant households account for over a third of all children living in poverty in the UK and are more likely to experience deep poverty.

The article focuses on the role of the ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) policy, which prevents many migrant families from accessing key public support such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit, and social housing. According to estimates cited in the article, over 700,000 children in the UK may be affected by NRPF, with a significant proportion living in poverty.

Blake led a recent parliamentary debate urging for the removal of NRPF restrictions for families in poverty where she argued that NRPF can lead to negative outcomes including food insecurity, overcrowded housing, and limited access to healthcare and education. She also noted the pressures placed on local authorities, which are often required to step in with emergency support under existing child welfare legislation.

The article calls for the upcoming Child Poverty Strategy to ensure that the needs of children in NRPF-affected households are considered. It suggests that addressing the impacts of NRPF is essential to achieving long-term poverty reduction and social inclusion goals.