[barnardos free docs.]9095 poverty briefing cymru-2

8/14/2019 [Barnardos Free Docs.]9095 Poverty Briefing Cymru-2

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Dyw hynddim yn

digwydd yma

PAP

UR

BRIFFIO

TLOD

I

PLANT

Barnardos

Cymru

Barnar

dos

Cym

ru

Realiti tlodi plant yn y du

A member o the Campaign to End Child Poverty


2/12 Dyw hyn ddim yn digwydd yma

Cywyniad

Ym mis Mawrth 1999, gwnaeth y Llywodraeth

addewid hanesyddol ac uchelgeisiol i roi teryn

ar dlodi plant o ewn cenhedlaeth. Erbyn hyn,

mae 600,000 mil yn llai o blant yn byw mewn

tlodi nag a oedd wyth mlynedd yn l. Mae

ansawdd bywyd a dyheadau llawer ar gyery dyodol yn gwella ledled y DU, wrth i San

Stean a llywodraethau datganoledig Cymru,

yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon roi rhaglenni

gwrthdlodi ar waith.

Tan yn ddiweddar, roedd canran y plant a oedd

yn byw mewn tlodi yng Nghymrun uwch

nar cyartaledd drwyr DU. Maer fgurau

diweddara yn dangos bod y fgur diweddara

yn 8%, % o dan gyar taledd cyredol y DU

se 30%. Maer cynnydd hwn wedii sicrhaun

benna o ganlyniad i bolisau ariannol y DUym maes trethi a budd-daliadau ochr yn ochr

chynnydd cyatebol mewn leelau cyogaeth

ledled Cymru. Mae cyran y plant yng Nghymru

sydd erbyn hyn yn byw mewn cartref incwm-

isel wedi gostwng ir un leel r cyartaledd

drwyr DU ond oherwydd ei heconomi cyog-

isel, mae Cymru wedi gweld cynnydd yng

nghyran yr aelwydydd sydd mewn gwaith ond

eton byw o dan y teryn tlodi.

Er bod y fguraun gostwng, mae gormod o

lawer o blant yn dal i gael eu gadael ar l gyda

3.8 miliwn o blant ledled y DU yn dal i od yn

ysglyaeth i dlodi. Mae tlodi plant yn dal i od yn

ddwbl yr hyn a oedd yn 1979 ac maen uwch

o lawer nar cyartaledd yn Ewrop. Yn ogystal

hyn, ceir pryder diriol bod y gyradd gwellan

arau ac y bydd rhaid i Lywodraeth San Stean

a Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru ymrwymo

buddsoddiad sylweddol er mwyn gwella

bywydau ac amgylchiadaur teuluoedd hynny

syn byw yn y tlodi mwya diriol a di-raint

ac er mwyn cyrraedd y targedau tlodi plant abennwyd ar gyer 010 a 00.

Maer adroddiad hwn yn crynhoi astudiaeth

ehangach drwyr DU (dan y teitl It Doesnt

Happen Here) syn edrych ar ywydau plant

tlota y DU. Fei seilir ar gyweliadau gyda mwy

na deugain o deuluoedd y bydd Barnardos

yn gweithio gyda nhw ledled y DU. Maer

cyweliadau hyn yn dangos realiti bywyd y

bobl hynny sydd wediu dal ym magl tlodi.

Maer rhain yn cynnwys plant o deuluoedd du

ac o gendiroedd lleiari ethnig, y teuluoedd

hynny syn straaglu ar gyog isel, teuluoedd

rhiant sengl, teuluoedd syn delio ag anabledd

a theuluoedd mawr. Maer adroddiad llawn yn

edrych heyd ar grwpiau eraill syn agored-i-

niwed, gan gynnwys plant mewn teuluoedd syn

ceisio lloches, plant mewn tai gwael a phobl

ianc syn bywn annibynnol.

Plant syn byw yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd

syn wynebur canlyniadau gwaetha o ran llesyn y DU ac mae 170,000 (un o bob pedwar)

yn dal i yw mewn tlodi heddiw. Dileu tlodi

plant mewn cenhedlaeth ywr her gymdeithasol

wya uchelgeisiol syn wynebu Llywodraeth San

Stean a Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru a bydd

goyn ir ddwy ohonynt ddyblu eu hymdrechion

ac ategu gwaith ei gilydd er mwyn cyrraedd y

nod.

Beth ywr broblem? Incwm

annigonol a chyogau iselYn 005/6, roedd cwpwl gyda dau o blant yn

byw yn y DU yn gwario 64 yr wythnos ar

gyartaledd. Roedd y teuluoedd a gywelwyd ar

gyer adroddiad Barnardos Dyw hyn ddim yn

Digwydd Yma yn byw ar incwm is o lawer na

hyn, a, gan amla, incwm a oedd ymhell o dan

deryn tlodir Llywodraeth ei hun.

Er enghrait, mae Heather o Gaerdydd y

rhiant sengl sydd thri o blant yn byw arGymhorthdal Incwm heb ddim taliadau

cynhaliaeth. Mae ganddi 10.44 i yw arno

- 40.56 yr wythnos o dan y teryn tlodi. Yn sgil

hyn, mae hi mewn dyled o hyd ac mae gwyliaur

ysgol yn peri mwy o draerth nag arer iddi am

od rhaid talu am weithgareddau cymdeithasol

ir plant a gwisg ysgol ar gyer y tymor dilynol.

Nid dim ond plant sydd u rhienin ddi-waith

syn diodde yn sgil tlodi mae 5% or plant

sydd mewn tlodin byw ar aelwydydd lle ceir o

leia un yn ennill cyog. Er mwyn rhoi teryn ar

dlodi plant, or 1 rhaid ailddosbarthu cyoeth

drwy gyrwng y system trethi a budd-daliadau

gan greu rhwyd ddiogelwch ddigonol a gwneud

gweithion rhywbeth syn talu. Rhaid mynd ir

aael o ddiri swyddi cyog-isel os ydym am

weld teuluoedd yn gwellau byd ac yn codiu

hunain o dlodi drwy ddod o hyd i ateb tymor

hir ym myd gwaith.


3/12

Beth mae angen ei wneud

i gadwr addewid ynghylch

dlodi plant?

(a) Buddsoddi 3.8 biliwn ychwanegol

Er mwyn cadwi haddewid i haneru tlodi plant

erbyn 010, bydd goyn ir Llywodraeth wario

cyanswm o 3.8 biliwn arall ledled y DU erbyn

010 nag a gynlluniwyd ar hyn o bryd. Ar sail ei

pholisau cyredol, ychydig o ragolygon sydd y

cyrhaeddir y targed 010 nac yng Nghymru

nac yng ngweddill y DU.

Maer Seydliad Astudiaethau Ariannol

wedi amcangyri y bydd gwarior 1 biliwn

ychwanegol ar gredydau treth a gyhoeddwyd

yng Nghyllideb 007 yn lleihau tlodi plant ryw

00,000 arall erbyn 010. Bydd hyn yn golygubod y Llywodraeth yn brin oi nod o haneru

tlodi plant, gyda rhyw 900,000 o blant yn dal i

od o dan y teryn.

Heyd, maer Seydliad Astudiaethau Ariannol,

ac ystyried newidiadau ir Gyllideb yn 007, yn

amcangyri y gellid cyrraedd targed 010 drwy

gynyddu elen blant y credyd treth plant 11

arall yr wythnos ar sail prisiau 007, a rhoi 0

ychwanegol yr wythnos i deuluoedd ar gyer y

trydydd plentyn a phob plentyn wedyn drwy

gyrwng elen deulur credyd treth plant.

Felly, mae angen buddsoddi 3.8 biliwn

ychwanegol.

Beth fyddai buddsoddi 3.8 biliwn

yn ei olygu?

Drwy uddsoddi 3.8 biliwn ychwanegol, erbyn

2010, e ellid sicrhau ledled y DU (oi gymharu

2004/05):

n320,000 yn llai o blant tlawd mewn

teuluoedd rhiant sengl

n240,000 yn llai o blant tlawd mewn

teuluoedd ag oedolyn anabl

n90,000 yn llai o blant tlawd mewn teuluoedd

dau riant lle bo un rhiant yn gweithio amser

llawn ar rhiant arall yn ddi-waith

n50,000 yn llai o blant Pacistanaidd a

Bangladeshaidd tlawd

Heb fuddsoddi 3.8 biliwn ychwanegol,

erbyn 2010, fe allaifod (oi gymharu 2004/05):

n 70,000 yn wy o blant tlawd mewn

teuluoedd dau riant lle bo un rhiant yn

gweithio amser llawn ar rhiant arall yn ddi-

waith

n30,000 yn wy o blant tlawd mewn

teuluoedd rhiant sengl

n40,000 yn wy o blant Pacistanaidd a

Bangladeshaidd yn byw mewn tlodi

Drwy uddsoddir 3.8 biliwn ychwanegol hwn

mewn budd-daliadau a chredydau treth, gallair

Llywodraeth gyrraedd targed 010. Ond mae

angen ystod ehangach o ymatebion polisi er

mwyn mynd ir aael r achosion sydd wr th

wraidd tlodi plant chwalur rhwystrau syn atal

pobl rhag cael gwaith, sicrhau bod gwaith yn

talu a sicrhau bod plant mewn tlodin gallu dianc

rhag awd eu rhieni ac osgoi gorod magu eu

plant eu hunain mewn tlodi.

3Barnardos Cymru papur brifo tlodi plant

The price o everything isgoing up, but my moneyis staying the same. Thatswhats doing my head in.How do they expect usto live?

Kate, Bays Project, Swansea


4/12

(b) Drwy roi mwy o help i deuluoedd

Bydd y 3.8 biliwn yn help i gyrraedd targed

010 ond mae atebion eraill yr un mor bwysig,

yn enwedig er mwyn cadwr addewid i ddileu

tlodi plant erbyn 00.

Cyogaeth maer rhan wya o rienin

awyddus i weithio ac roedden nhwn gweldhyn yn ordd o ddianc rhag tlodi ond yn cael

anhawster go iawn wrth geisio cael swydd

ac aros ynddi. Maer diyg sgiliau meddal a

chymwysteraun golygu bod llawer o rieni,

yn enwedig rhieni sengl yn cael eu heithrio

or archnad laur. Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad

Cymru wedi cydnabod hyn ac wedi rhoi

rhaglenni cymorth ar waith sydd wediu targedu

i ymateb i hyn. Fodd bynnag, nid yw gwaith yn

gwarantu dihanga rhag tlodi - mae cyogau

isel a chostau uchel goal plant yn golygubod rhienin aml iawn yn waeth eu byd wrth

weithio. Heyd, maen bosibl bod teuluoedd lle

ceir anabledd yn ei chael hin anodd manteisio

ar gye i gael swydd oherwydd cyrioldebau

goalu.

Goal Plant drwy seydlu Cychwyn Cadarn,

Dechraun Deg a chynlluniau goal plant eraill

yng Nghymru, mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad

Cymru wedi dangos ei hymrwymiad i gynyddur

ddarpariaeth blynyddoedd cynnar o saon. Fodd

bynnag, does dim digon o oal plant priodol argael yn rhwydd i bawb, yn enwedig goal plant

orddiadwy ac mae hyn yn dal i od yn rhwystr

sylweddol i rieni syn dymuno dychwelyd ir

gwaith. Heyd, bydd rhieni plant anabl yn dweud

wrthym dro ar l tro am y diyg goal arbenigol

ar diyg goalwyr sydd wediu hyorddin

briodol i oalu am eu plant.

Help gyda chostau ychwanegol - bydd

teuluoedd ar incwm isel yn straaglu ar adegau

penodol or wyddyn ac yn aml iawn yn gorod

talu mwy am y pethau sylaenol megis y pr i

wasanaethau. Gallai cymorth wedii dargedu

gydar canlynol wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i

ansawdd bywyd llawer o blant.

Tlodi yn ystod gwyliaur ysgol - ir rhan wya

o blant yn y DU, bydd gwyliau ysgol yn golygu

gwyliau oddi cartre a digwyddiadau a thripiau

cyrous. I deuluoedd ar incwm isel, mae hyn

yn golygu mwy o galedi - mae cost pethau

hanodol el gweithgareddau hamdden a bwyd

yn cynyddu ond maer incwm yn aros yr un ath.

Dawr gwyliaun gynod o grau byw. Mae angen

cymorth ariannol ar deuluoedd incwm isel er

mwyn iddynt anteisio ar gyeusterau chwarae a

hamdden. Byddai gwneud iawn i deuluoedd am

golli prydau ysgol am ddim yn ystod y gwyliau

heyd yn help i leddur pwysau ariannol ac yn

galluogi teuluoedd i roi rhyw ath o brofadau

adeiladol iw plant yn ystod y gwyliau. Yng

Nghymru, byddai hyn yn costio tua 6.1 miliwn

y wyddyn (ar sail nier y plant syn gymwys i

gael prydau ysgol x y gost esul pryd).

Tlodi Tanwydd yn sgil cynnydd o 91% drwyddi

draw ym mhris adwerthu nwy ers 003 a

chynnydd mewn prisiau trydan, mae nier y

teuluoedd syn byw mewn tlodi tanwydd wedi

codin ddramatig, Amcangyrifr bod tua 3.5

miliwn o aelwydydd ledled y DU, gan gynnwys

300,000 yng Nghymrun byw mewn tlodi

tanwydd. Oherwydd y cynnydd mewn prisiau

tanwydd, mae oddeutu 60,000 o aelwydydd

yng Nghymrun wynebur risg o gael eu sugno iyd dyled (Dyled ar Pri Wasanaethau, Cyngor

Denyddwyr Cymru, 006). Os yw Llywodraeth

San Stean a Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru am

ddileu tlodi tanwydd i grwpiau agored i newid,

rhaid iddynt weithio gydar cyenwyr ynni er

mwyn sicrhau bod pob cwsmer ar y tari rhata

ac nad ydynt yn cael eu cosbi oherwydd eu dull

talu.

Dyled roedd llawer or teuluoedd a gywelwyd

mewn dyled, naill ai ir Grona Gymdeithasol,

i enthycwyr wrth y drws, neu iw rindiauau teulu. Roedd llawer or benthyciadau hyn

wediu codi i dalu costaur Nadolig, penblwyddi

a thalu am nwyddau hanodol y car tre. Mae

benthycwyr wrth y drws yn codi llog rhwng

160% ac 800% ar enthyciadau, syn golygu bod

teuluoedd yn cael eu dal mewn cylch dieig o

ddyled. Rhaid ir Llywodraeth roir aenoriaeth

sicrhau nad yw teuluoedd ar incwm isel yn cael

eu heithrio or byd ariannol, a rhaid i anciau

chwarae rhan allweddol yn hyn.

4 Dyw hyn ddim yn digwydd yma


5/12

Roedd Vanessan arer bod mewn goal ac

mae ganddi un plentyn syn bedair wythnos

ar bymtheg oed. Maen bywn agos iawn

ir dre ar ystd hynod o ddi-raint lle mae

problemau cyuriaun bla. Maen derbyn

budd-daliadau gwerth 119 yr wythnos,

ychydig dan deryn tlodir Llywodraeth

maen gwario 35 yr wythnos ar danwydd,

15 ar gludiant a 50 ar wyd. Maen cynilor

gweddill i brynu dillad ir babi. Mae Vanessan

cael benthyg arian gan ei mam ac mae

ganddi ddyled ir cyenwyr trydan a dr.

Fe oynnais am beiriant tocynnau-talu amod hynnyn haws ac wedyn mae rhywun yn

gwybod beth ywr seylla. Yr unig ordd i chi

gael peiriant el hyn yw mynd i ddyled gydar

cyenwyr neu rhaid i chi dalu 80.

Dywedodd Vanessa ei bod yn byw ar 45

yr wythnos cyn iddi gael y babi ac nad oedd

hin gallu ymdopi ar hynny maer budd-

daliadau ychwanegol maen eu cael ar gyer y

babi wedi bod o help. Roedd hin teimlo nad

oedd hi wedi cael plentyndod normal am

ei bod wedi bod mewn goal ac am od eimam wedi bod yn gaeth i gyuriau:

Roedd mam yn arer eistedd yn ei hystaell

wely drwyr amser yn chwistrellu heroin elly

doedd e [ei phlentyndod] ddim el un pawb

arall.

Ond byddai Vanessan hof gweithio a chael

rhywaint o hyorddiant ym maes bwyd

a hylendid y pri beth syn ei chymell i

wneud hyn yw gallu symud i wrdd or ardal

a rhoi gwell dyodol iw mab:

Dwi ddim eisiau iddo od yma wrth iddo e

dyun hn. Dwi ddim eisiau iddo gael ei agu

mewn ardal syn llawn cyuriau a phethe el

na... Dwi ddim eisiau iddo e od yn byw yn ytwll yma pan ydd en chwech.

Cael gwaith a symud or ardal oedd y ordd

orau iddi hi ddianc rhag tlodi.

Mae Partneriaeth BAYS Barnardos yn cynnig

cyngor a chymorth i bobl syn gadael goal

el Vanessa. Maen nhwn gweithio i atal

digartreedd, yn cynnig gwasanaeth cyryngu

i deuluoedd ac yn eu helpu i lunio cynlluniau

ar gyer eu dyodol drwy gyrwng Cynllun

Llwybr.

Astudiaeth achos:

Vanessa, partneriaeth bays barnardos, abertawe

5Barnardos Cymru papur brifo tlodi plant


6/12

Y ordd ymlaen

Mae Barnardos Cymrun goyn ir Llywodraeth

gadwi haddewid i fliynau o blant i roi teryn

ar dlodi plant o ewn cenhedlaeth. Rydym yn

galw ar Lywodraeth y DU yn San Stean a

Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru i wneud

y canlynol:

Llywodraeth y DU:

n Buddsoddi 3.8 biliwn i wireddur addewid i

haneru tlodi plant erbyn 010 ac yn y dyodol,

gynyddu budd-daliadau a chredydau treth

yn unol ag enillion er mwyn atal incwm y

teuluoedd tlota rhag disgyn ymhellach ar

ei hl hi.

n Seydlu Comisiwn y DU ar roi teryn ar dlodi

plant, dan gadeiryddiaeth y Pri Weinidog neur

Canghellor, a yddain llunio map cyeiriad ynnodi pa uddsoddi a pholisau sydd eu hangen

i gyrraedd targed 00.

n Mynd ir aael thlodi tanwydd drwy weithio

gydar sector preiat er mwyn sicrhau bod

pob cwsmer ar y tari rhata ar gyer y pri

wasanaethau ac nad ydynt yn cael eu cosbi

os na allant anteisio ar gynlluniau talu megis

debyd uniongyrchol.

n Mynd ir aael r caledi ychwanegol yn ystod

gwyliau ysgol, drwy roi iawndal i deuluoedd iblant sydd el arer yn cael prydau ysgol am

ddim ond nad ydynt yn cael y antais honno

yn ystod gwyliau ysgol.

n Sicrhau bod holl dreniadau cyllido a

rhaglennir Llywodraeth wediu cyeirion

benna tuag at sicrhau lles y plant tlota.

Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru

nYmrwymor adnoddau angenrheidiol

er mwyn gwireddu Cynllun Llywodraeth

Flaenorol y Cynulliad, se Cynllun Gweithredu

yn erbyn Tlodi Plant yng Nghymru ac adeiladu

ar seiliaur cynllun hwnnw.

n Seydlu mecanwaith priodol i adlewyrchu achyrannu at Gomisiwn yn y DU i roi teryn

ar dlodi plant er mwyn sicrhau bod newid

yn cael ei roi ar waith yng Nghymru el syn

briodol ar gyer y setliad datganoli.

n Sicrhau bod mwy byth o oal plant o saon

ar gael drwy ddarparu arian digonol i gynnal

y ddarpariaeth goal plant mewn cymunedau

dan anantais. Ni ydd dibynnu ar y archnad

yn unig yn sicrhaur ddarpariaeth briodol in

teuluoedd tlota.

n Annog awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu

gweithgareddau i bob plentyn syn briodol

iw hoedran yn ystod gwyliaur ysgol ar

ddarpariaeth honnon un orddiadwy.

Reerences Y Swydda Ystadegau Gwladol www.nationalstatistics.org.uk/pddir

es0107/pd - ac eithrio taliadau llog ar orgais ar dreth gyngor.

Maer adroddiad hwn yn denyddior un difniad o dlodi gan Lywodraeth

y DU yn Cye i Bawb (DWP, 00). 60 y cant or leel incwm ganolig ywr

teryn tlodi - se leel incwm ar l tynnu trethi a buddiannau uniongyrchol,

wedii haddasu ar gyer maint yr aelwyd, el bod hanner y boblogaeth

uwchben y leel honno ar hanner arall oddi tani. Maer difniad yn saon

syn newid wrth i leel incwm canolig newid; ac maen esur o dlodi

cymharol. Difnnir pobl syn byw mewn tlodi el y sawl syn byw ar lai na

60 y cant or incwm canolig, ar l tynnu costau tai.

Contact

Andy James

Assistant Director, Policy

01792 463 357

[email protected]

Copies o the main report It doesnt happen here

the reality of child poverty in the UKare available

rom Barnardos head ofce, tel: 020 8498 7750

For urther inormation visit:www.barnardos.org.uk/poverty

6 Dyw hyn ddim yn digwydd yma

All names have been changed to protect identities.


7/12

The way orward

Barnardos Cymru is asking the government to

keep its promise to millions o children to end

child poverty within a generation. We call on the

UK government at Westminster and the Welsh

Assembly government to do the ollowing:

UK government:

n Invest 3.8 billion to meet the promise to

halve child poverty by 010 and in the uture

increase benefts and tax credits in line with

earnings to stop the incomes o the poorest

amilies alling urther behind.

n Establish a UK commission on ending child

poverty, chaired by the Pr ime Minister or

the Chancellor, which would deliver a road

map setting out the investment and policies

needed to hit the 00 target.

nTackle uel poverty by working with the

private sector to make sure that all customers

are on the cheapest taris or utilities and are

not penalised i they cannot take advantage

o payment schemes such as direct debit.

nTackle the additional hardship in school

holidays by compensating amilies whose

children get ree school meals or the loss

o these during the school holidays.

n Aim all government unding and programmesat benefting the poorest children most o all.

Welsh Assembly government

n Commit the necessary resources to ulfl

and build upon the previous Assembly

governments Child Poverty Implementation

Plan or Wales.

n Establish an appropriate mechanism to

mirror and contribute to a UK commissionon ending child poverty to ensure change is

implemented in Wales as is appropriate to

the devolution settlement.

n Extend urther the access to high quality

childcare by ensuring adequate unding to

sustain child care provision in disadvantaged

communities. Reliance on the market alone

will not deliver or our poorest amilies.

n Encourage local authorities to provide

aordable and age-appropriate holidayactivities or all children.

Reerences Ofce or National Statistics www.nationalstatistics.org.uk/pddir/es0107

pd - excluding mortgage interest payments and council tax.

This report uses the same defnition o poverty as used by the UK

government in Opportunity or All (DWP, 00). The poverty line is 60 per

cent o median income level where the median is the level o income

ater direct taxes and benefts, adjusted or household size, such that hal

the population is above the level and hal below it. This defnition is a

standard that changes as median income levels change; it is a measure o

relative poverty. People living in poverty are defned as those living on less

than 60 per cent o median income, ater housing costs.

Contact

Andy James

Assistant Director, Policy

01792 463 357

[email protected]

Copies o the main report It doesnt happen here

the reality of child poverty in the UKare available

rom Barnardos head ofce, tel: 020 8498 7750

For urther inormation visit:www.barnardos.org.uk/poverty

6 It doesn t happen here

All names have been changed to protect identities.


8/12

By giving wider help to amilies

The 3.8 billion will help to meet the 010

target but other solutions are equally important,

especially i the pledge to abolish child poverty

by 00 is to be met.

Employment most parents want to work and

saw this as a way out o poverty but experiencereal barriers to getting a job and staying in it.

The lack o sot skills and qualifcations keep

many parents, especially lone parents, out o the

labour market. The Welsh Assembly government

has recognised this and implemented targeted

support programmes. However, work is not a

guaranteed route out o poverty - low wages

and the high costs o childcare means that

parents are oten no better o in work. Also,

amilies where there is a disability may not be

able to take up employment opportunitiesbecause o their caring responsibilities.

Childcare through the setting up o Sure

Start, Flying Start and other childcare initiatives

in Wales, the Welsh Assembly government has

demonstrated its commitment to increasing the

availability o high quality early years provision.

However, lack o appropriate, universal and,

most impor tantly, aordable childcare continues

to be a signifcant barrier to parents who wish

to return to work. Also, parents o disabled

children repeatedly tell us about the lacko specialist and well-trained childcare

or their children.

Help with extra costs low income amilies

struggle at certain times o the year and oten

end up paying extra or the basics like utilities.

Targeted suppor t with the ollowing could

make a real dierence to the quality o lie

or many children:

Poverty in school holidays or the majority

o children in the UK, school holidays meanholidays away rom home and exciting events

and trips. For amilies on a low income, they

mean extra hardship costs on essentials

like leisure activities and ood go up but

income does not. Holidays become a time

o survival. Families on low incomes need

fnancial support to access play and leisure

acilities. Compensating amilies or the loss o

ree school meals in holidays would also help

ease the fnancial pressure and enable amilies

to provide some sort o positive experiences

during holidays. In Wales, this would cost an

estimated 6.1 million per year (based on

numbers o children eligible or school meals

x cost per meal).

Fuel poverty an overall 91 per cent increase

in the retail price o gas since 003 and an

increase in electricity prices has seen the numbers

o households living in uel poverty escalate

dramatically. It is estimated that there are 3.5

million households across the UK, including

300,000 in Wales, living in uel poverty. Due to

uel price rises there are 60,000 households in

Wales at risk o spiralling into debt (Debt and

Utilities, Welsh Consumer Council, 006). I the

Westminster and Welsh Assembly governments

are to eradicate uel poverty or vulnerable

groups, they must work with energy suppliers

to ensure that all customers are on the cheapest

taris and are not penalised because o their

method o payment.

Debt many o the amilies interviewed were

in debt, either rom the Social Fund, doorsteplenders or riends and amily. Many o these

loans were to cover the costs o Christmas,

birthdays and essential household goods.

Doorstep lenders are charging between 160

and 800 per cent on loans, trapping amilies in

a vicious cycle o debt. Government must give

priority to ending the fnancial exclusion o low

income amilies with banks playing a key part.

Its like theres a playgroup down by mebut until hes three,Id have to pay 13a week or him to goto play group and Icant aord it, so at themoment hes not evenin a play group

Natalie, single mother with

a 3 year old son, Compass

Partnership, Wrexham

4 It doesnt happen here


9/12

Vanessa was ormerly in care and has one

child aged 19 weeks. She lives close to town on

a very deprived estate where there are known

drug problems. Her income rom benefts is

119 a week, slightly below the governments

poverty line she spends 35 a week on uel,

15 on transport and 50 on ood. She saves

the rest to buy clothes or the baby. Vanessa

borrows rom her mum and is in debt with the

electricity and water suppliers.

I had the token meter put in because its

easier and you know where you are. The only

way to get a meter is to get into debt with thesuppliers otherwise you pay 80.

Vanessa pointed out that beore she had the

baby she was living on just 45 a week and

she could not manage the extra benefts or

the baby have helped. She elt that she had

not had a normal childhood because o being

in care and because her mother had a

drug addiction:

My mother used to sit in the bedroom all the

time jacking up heroin, so it [her childhood]

werent like everyone else.

But Vanessa would like to work and do some

training in ood and hygiene her main

motivation or this is to move away rom the

area and provide a better uture or her son:

I dont want him to be here when he gets

older. I dont want him getting brought up in

an area where its full of drugs and stuff like

that I dont want him living in this dump

when he is six.

Getting a job and moving out o the area

presented the best way o escaping poverty.

Barnardos Bays Partnership oers advice and

support to care leavers like Vanessa. They work

to prevent homelessness, oer amily mediation

and assist in the development o plans or their

uture through a Pathway Plan.

Case study:

Vanessa, Barnardos Bays Partnership, Swansea

5Barnardos Cymru child poverty briefng


10/12

Introduction

In March 1999, the Prime Minister made a

historic and ambitious pledge to end child

poverty within a generation. There are now

600,000 ewer children living in poverty than

eight years ago. The quality o lie and uture

aspirations o many are improving across theUK through anti-poverty programmes being

implemented by Westminster and the devolved

governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern

Ireland.

The percentage o children living in poverty in

Wales was, until recently, higher than the UK

average. Latest fgures, however, show that

at 8 per cent, this now stands at per cent

below the current UK average o 30 per cent.

This progress has largely been achieved as a

result o UK government fscal policies on taxand benefts combined with a corresponding

increase in employment levels across Wales.

The proportion o children in Wales living in

low income households has now allen to the

same level as the UK average but, due to its low

wage economy, Wales has seen an increase in

the proportion o its working households living

below the poverty line.

Despite the alling fgures, however, ar too many

children are being let behind the lives o 3.8

million children across the UK are still blighted

by poverty. Child poverty remains double what

it was in 1979 and is well above the European

average. In addition to this, there are serious

concerns that the rate o improvement is

slowing down and that major investment will

have to be committed by both Westminster and

Welsh Assembly governments i they are going

to improve the lives and circumstances o those

amilies living in the most severe and persistent

poverty and i the child poverty targets set or

010 and 00 are to be reached.

This report is a summary o a wider study

(called It doesnt happen here) which looks at

the lives o the poorest children in the UK and

is based on interviews with over orty amilies

with whom Barnardos works. The interviews

demonstrate the reality o lie or those most

deeply mired in poverty. These include children

in black and minority ethnic amilies, those in

amilies struggling on low wages, lone parent

amilies, amilies aected by disability and large

amilies. The ull repor t also looks at other

vulnerable groups, including children in asylum-

seeking amilies, children in poor housing and

young people living independently.

Children living in Wales currently have very

poor outcomes and 170,000 (one in three)

are still living in poverty today. The eradication

o child poverty in a generation is the most

ambitious social challenge acing the Westminster

and Welsh Assembly governments and it will

require a re-doubling o eorts and a combined

and complementary approach rom both, i this

goal is going to be achieved.

The problem: inadequate

incomes and low wages

In 005/6 a couple with two children living in

the UK spent on average 64 per week. The

amilies interviewed or the Barnardos report

It doesnt happen here had incomes ar lower

and, in most cases, well below the Governments

own poverty line.

Heather rom Cardi is a single parent with three

children living on Income Support who receives no

maintenance payments and has 210.44 a week

to live on - 40.56 a week below the poverty

line. As a result, she is constantly in debt and

particularly struggles in school holiday periods

to pay or social activities and school uniorms

or her children or the next school term.

Poverty does not only aect children whose

parents are out o work 5 per cent o

children in poverty live in households with at

least one earner. Ending child poverty requires

redistribution through the tax and benefts

system to provide an adequate saety net and

to make work pay. Low paid work needs to be

meaningully addressed i amilies seeking to

better themselves and move out o poverty are

to fnd a lasting solution in the world o work.

It doesn t happen here


11/12

Keeping the child poverty promise

By investing an extra 3.8 billion

Keeping its promise to halve child poverty by

010 will require the government to spend a

total o 3.8 billion more across the UK by 010

than currently planned. On current policies, there

is little prospect o the 010 target being hit

either in Wales or across the rest o the UK.

The Institute or Fiscal Studies has estimated

that the additional 1 billion spending on tax

credits announced in the 007 Budget will

reduce child poverty by a urther 00,000 by

010. This will mean the Government missing

its target to halve child poverty by some

900,000 children.

Further, the Institute or Fiscal Studies, taking

account o 007 Budget changes, estimates thatthe 010 target could be achieved by increasing

the child element o child tax credit by a urther

11 a week at 007 prices and giving amilies

an extra 0 per week or the third and

subsequent child/children through the amily

element o the child tax credit.

Hence - 3.8 billion o extra investment is required.

What would the 3.8 billion

investment mean?

With an additional 3.8 billion estimated by

the IFS or the report, there could be, by 2010,

across the UK (compared with 2004/05):

n320,000 ewer poor children in lone parent

amilies

n240,000 ewer poor children in amilies with

a disabled adult

n90,000 ewer poor children in two parent

amilies where one parent works ull-time

and the other parent does not work

n50,000 ewer poor Pakistani and

Bangladeshi children.

Without the additional 3.8 billion

investment there could be, by 2010,(compared with 2004/05):

n70,000 more poor children in two parent

amilies where one parent works ull-time

and the other parent does not work

n30,000 more poor children in lone parent

amilies

n40,000 more Pakistani and Bangladeshi

children living in poverty.

By investing this additional 3.8 billion in

benefts and tax credits the Government could

meet the 010 target. But a wider range o

policy responses is necessary to tackle the root

causes o child poverty to remove barriers to

work, to ensure that work pays and to ensure

that children in poverty are equipped to escape

their parents ate and avoid bringing up their

own children in poverty.

The price o everything isgoing up, but my moneyis staying the same. Thatswhats doing my head in.How do they expect usto live?

Kate, Bays Project, Swansea

3Barnardos Cymru child poverty briefng


12/12

The reality o child poverty in Cymru

It doesnthappen here

CHILD

POVERTY

BRIEF

ING

Barnardos

Cymru

Barnar

dos

Cym

ru

A member o the Campaign to End Child Poverty

[barnardos free docs.]9095 poverty briefing cymru-2

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