Dear

Yesterday’s spending review was somewhat of a mixed bag from the perspective of child poverty campaigners. There was undeniably some very welcome news in the shape of the already-trailed expansion of eligibility for Free School Meals and the announcement of a new Crisis and Resilience Fund which will replace the Household Support Fund and provide much needed multi-year crisis funding for councils. 4in10 and lots of others have backed calls for these things over many years and they will undeniably improve lives, but in terms of the changes needed to really shift the dial on child poverty rates, most notably the scrapping of the 2 child limit and benefit cap, there was silence. And we are told to wait for the publication of the child poverty strategy now delayed until the Autumn.  

Looking at things through a London-lens, again we are left with more questions that answers. Figures released last week by the End Child Poverty Coalition, show that London has the joint second highest regional child poverty rate at 35% and three out of the five local authorities with the highest rates of child poverty in the country are in London; Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Newham. The spending review debates have reawakened focus on inequality across the country which oftentimes overlooks the the inequality within our capital city. It feels very important for London’s children that the detail of the spending review, which has yet to be nailed down in terms of how spending is allocated across the country, recognises the persistently high levels of child poverty in the Capital – and we will of course be seeking every opportunity to make that case.

Katherine has shared some further initial reflections on our LinkedIn page.

We will be picking up on all these themes and more in our next Policy Forum meeting on 10 July, 10.30 - 12.00. Put the date in your diary now and we will share the link in the next newsletter. 

Best wishes

Katherine, Maddie and Emily

Calls to Action

• End Child Poverty Coalition have launched a new e-action, where people can email their MP, highlighting the levels of child poverty in their local area and demanding action, including the removal of the 2-child limit. 
• Campaign for Disability Justice are asking people to sign their open letter to highlight that 'disabled voices are ignored as key proposals to cut benefits are left out of the Government consultation'.
• The Magpie Project are asking people to share their experience of living in temporary accommodation without a kitchen by completing their anonymous survey  Please share with anyone in your networks who may be keen to take part. 
• Sensory Lives Project, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Households in Temporary Accommodation, Shared Health Foundation, and Autistica have organised the first UK-wide Call for Evidence to gather parents/guardians’ experiences of living in Temporary Accommodation with neurodivergent children.

Training and Events

• Voluntary Action Islington have their latest local wellbeing meetings:
  • North - Wed 18 Jun 2025 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, Whittington Park Community Centre, Yerbury Road, N19 4RS 
  • Central - Thu 19 Jun 2025 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, Islington Black Cultural Centre, 16–18 Hornsey Road, N7 7BT
  • South - Thu 3 Jul 2025 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, Vibast Community Centre, 167 Old Street, EC1V 9NH 
• London Youth are delivering Trusted Youth Allies Training – equip yourself with the skills to support young people, victims, and witnesses of crime. Build confidence in safeguarding, responding to disclosures, and providing the right support on various dates over May and June

Reports, Data and Resources

• End Child Poverty with the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, have published data on the number of children living in poverty, in each Westminster Constituency and Local Authority across the UK.
• Liv, a Youth Ambassador for the End Child Poverty Coalition has written this blog to highlight what the expansion of Free School Meals eligibility means to her, and other young people.  
• UNICEF UK launched a new report: 'Held back from the start: the impact of deprivation on early childhood'
• Fabian Society have produced a proposed strategy called 'First steps: An ambitious strategy to tackle early-years poverty with public consent'
• Family Fund have released their 'The Cost of Caring 2025' report
• Christians Against Poverty have released several reports:
  • Client report 2025: No time to lose
  • Child Poverty - Insights into the real challenges families across the UK are facing.
  • The inequality of poverty - The varying risks of financial hardship individuals face due to their protected characteristics. 
  • Employment - The role of employment in addressing UK poverty 
• Trust for London have released analysis of the latest London poverty figures
• Citizens UK and Trust for London's new report reveals the dire state of temporary accommodation in the UK.
• Shared Health Foundation have produced a report about Children living in Temporary Accommodation 

Jobs and Trustee Vacancies 

Funding Opportunities

The Greater London Authority

The Greater London Authority is inviting proposals from organisations to deliver the Mayor’s Mental Health in Schools programme. This 18 month programme will support schools to deliver sustainable, holistic mental health and wellbeing support to their students. 

The GLA will fund one grant of £650,000, with delivery expected to take place from July 2025 to March 2027. 

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations with strong knowledge of education and mental health can apply. Smaller and grassroots organisations are encouraged to apply and they especially welcome applications from groups that are majority-led (over 50 per cent) by people who are: 

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
• Deaf and Disabled
• LGBTQ+
• Women

The Camden Community Wealth Fund

Camden Community Wealth Fund will invest in businesses and other organisations creating opportunities for young people and increasing diversity in positions of power. Full details of more funds will be available soon.

Cherry Family Fund 

The Cherry Family Fund give funding to charities with operations in London, the East and the South East of London who organise programmes that support young people.

You are welcome to pass this newsletter onto your networks. We welcome new members and although much of what we do is available to members and non-members, members are the first to know and get first chance to book training and so on.

As well as your reports, news and data, please send us information about small local grant givers, discounts and vouchers available, new support services, in fact anything that might help alleviate the impact of poverty in small ways and support other organisations to do their work. We will continue to demand systemic change but hope that these tips will be of immediate use. Anything you can share send it our way!

Check your entry on the 4in10 database of all voluntary organisations changing and challenging the impact of poverty on London’s children and their families. Let us know of any errors or changes you would like and please tell us about any organisations we may have missed.

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