A new report published today by the End Child Poverty campaign group, of which Contact a Family is a member, reveals that two million British children now have no parent in work and the number of children in families having to survive on benefits has jumped by 170,000 in a year.

Through Thick and Thin: Tackling Child Poverty in Hard Times also shows that child poverty is growing in affluent areas as well as those traditionally hard hit.

End Child Poverty is calling for the government to provide additional financial support for families on benefits or in low-paid jobs in the Pre-Budget Report in November. They are also calling for other measures listed in their Recession Recovery Package to be implemented, including more childcare, help for parents to work part time without losing benefits and financial help towards extra school costs.

Srabani Sen, Chief Executive of Contact a Family, said: “It costs three times as much to raise a disabled child, which means families with disabled children are more likely to be living in poverty and are more likely to have to rely on benefits so we fully support End Child Poverty’s campaign.”

End Child Poverty is calling for people to contact their local MP, the Chancellor and their local newspaper to press the government to invest in financial support for families in the Pre-Budget Report and action the Recession Recovery Package.

Email your MP at http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/childpovertyPBR

Find out more at http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk