Living standards

Overall aim

The government has substantially increased the employment support aimed at helping disabled people start and retain work, which it believes is the most sustainable route out of poverty.
Introduction of the Child Poverty Bill (external link) into Parliament, as part of government's commitment to the sustainable eradication of child poverty.
The child and pensioner poverty strategies ensure that government and other bodies attach the highest priority to tackling poverty among those at particular risk including families with disabled members.

The Child Poverty Bill (external link) will bring new impetus to eradicating child poverty by 2020. It proposes a definition of success and outlines a framework to guarantee that government and its partners at national and local levels make a clear and vital contribution towards ending child poverty.
By entrenching this ambitious goal in law we are ensuring that eradicating child poverty is a priority for every future government and a shared mission for our society.
Further improvements to support for disabled people to start and retain work, as the most sustainable route out of poverty - including transferring existing Incapacity Benefit customers to Employment and Support Allowance (external link), launching Work Choice (external link) and increasing funding for Access to Work (external link).
Continue incrementally to reform the benefit system to support people into work, ensure social justice and make work pay.

6.2 (cross-government national strategy aimed at enabling people to remain in employment when they acquire an impairment or the condition worsens).
6.5 (investigation of impact of reforms to the benefit system, employment support programmes and charging policies within adult social care).
11.1 (promoting good practice in children's and adults' health, education and social care).
11.1.1 (promote good practice: SCIE Resource Guide).
11.2.1 (Parenting Implementation project).
11.3 (work with government departments to help the policies to tackle child poverty and unemployment address the needs and circumstances of families affected by parental disability).