Press Release: Make Child Benefit Count!

I issued the following press release on 7 August 2006:

BIRMINGHAM SELLY OAK MP CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN

Lynne Jones MP today joined a leading charity in celebrating 60 years of support for children. The Birmingham Selly Oak MP and the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) are marking the anniversary of child benefit, and its predecessor family allowances, which were first paid in August 1946.

10,125 families in the Birmingham Selly Oak constituency currently receive child benefit, to help meet the costs of bringing up 18,825 children.

Lynne Jones is also backing the charity’s Make Child Benefit Count campaign which calls for an increase in child benefit so that all children are paid the same amount.

At the moment, child benefit is worth £17.45 per week for the first child, but just £11.70 per week for second and subsequent children, so the move would help 5,715 families in the Birmingham Selly Oak constituency. Lynne Jones MP is urging constituents to support the campaign by logging on to www.makechildbenefitcount.org.

Lynne Jones MP said: “Family allowances were introduced sixty years ago to help parents meet the costs of bringing up their children and thousands of families in my constituency continue to value the support that child benefit brings them.  I remember how important family allowance was to my own mother when I was brought up in the fifties and sixties and today mothers value child benefit as the one benefit that they can completely rely on.”

“Although the Government increased child benefit a few years ago, it has only gone up in line with prices since then. The sixtieth anniversary of universal benefits for children would be a fitting time to increase child benefit and ensure that all children are paid at the same rate. That’s why I’m pleased to be backing the Child Poverty Action Group’s ‘Make Child Benefit Count’ campaign.”

Kate Green, Chief Executive of CPAG, said: “I’m delighted that Lynne Jones is supporting our campaign. Increasing child benefit and ensuring that younger children get the same rate as the oldest child would help support larger families, which is vital if child poverty is to be ended once and for all.”

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