Letter - families hit hardest by benefit changes

A couple with two children will be £1,250 a year worse off by 2015, with the income of families with children feeling the most impact.

By contrast, families without children will see a loss of only 0.9%, equating to £215. This underlines the degree to which spending cuts are impacting on support for children.

Lone parents will struggle the most, and their children will clearly suffer as a result. Non-working lone parents will lose more than 12% of their income on average - equivalent to £2,000 a year!

It is also truly disturbing that the poverty rate for Pakistani and Bangladeshi children is set to increase by more than 5% by 2015-16.

The research forecasts that 500,000 families with children under five will fall into absolute poverty by 2015-16, with most coming from households where the youngest child is under five.

The study paints a sad picture for the communities affected, and is a shocking representation of Tory and Lib Dem policies towards children and families.

Please join me and express your concern and anger, by writing to Councillor Nicola Aiken (the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Community Protection) at Westminster City Council, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP.

We need to know what the Council will do to protect families in Westminster.

Charles Smith
Dolphin Square
SW1V 3NZ