Government welfare and tax changes, together with lower than forecast wage growth, will leave the majority of children in the UK living in families below the breadline by 2015, according to new Trades Union Congress research. Tax and welfare reforms alone - both existing and future changes - will be responsible for nearly half a million more children living below the breadline, says the TUC. In 'A Bleak Future For Families', the research finds that the cumulative impact of government policies and slower than forecast wage growth over the course of this parliament will mean that 690,000 more children will be living below the minimum income standard - the level of income needed to achieve a minimum acceptable standard of living in the UK - by 2015. TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Families are suffering the tightest squeeze in their living standards in nearly a century.” See also last week's Prayer Alert 'Archbishop of Canterbury attacks Government welfare reforms'.

Pray: for Government to ensure that children are not adversely affected by economic policies. (Pr.19:17)

More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18176