60 years of support for children
21st August 2006
Dr Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, celebrates the 60th anniversary of child benefit and its predecessor family allowances, which were first paid in August 1946.
Child Benefit is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up a child or young person. It is paid for each child that qualifies but is not affected by parents' income or savings, meaning that most people bringing up a child can get Child Benefit. 10,195 families in the Southampton Test Constituency currently receive child benefit, which helps to meet the costs of 18,545 children. This anniversary also provides a valuable opportunity to focus attention on the crucial task of eliminating child poverty from our communities.
Dr Alan Whitehead said:
"Child benefit, formerly family allowances, was introduced sixty years ago to enable parents to meet the costs of raising a family regardless of their income or background. It ensured that children were protected and provided with some stability despite the potential fluctuation of a parents' income or changing circumstances - and many children and young people in Southampton have benefited as a result.
This benefit has therefore been a crucial buffer in its sixty years history in trying to prevent child poverty. This Government has committed to eliminating child poverty within a generation and Child Benefit will therefore play a crucial role in meeting this ambitious and worthy goal. However, we need to make sure that child benefit evolves to meet this need so that we can make this goal a reality."