Moves to cut child poverty miss target

The Government is less than halfway to meeting its target on child poverty, figures issued yesterday show.

The annual report on family income, published by the Department of Work and Pensions, said that 100,000 children were taken out of poverty last year on the most widely recognised measure of deprivation.

In 1998-99, 4.2 million children were living in poverty and the Government pledged that by 2004-05 this would be reduced by a quarter. Yesterday's figures show that in 2001-02 the number was down to 3.8 million, the lowest in a decade. But another 600,000 children must be brought out of poverty if the target of 1.05 million is to be met.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies said the Government would have to inject at least £1bn a year into the benefits system to guarantee success.