#Fair4Families

Supporting families through tough times

Families with children are facing an unprecedented squeeze on their finances as a result of the rising cost of everyday necessities like food, petrol and childcare and reductions in benefits and tax credits.

At the same time many families are feeling an unprecedented ‘care squeeze’ as they try to meet the dual challenges of raising children and caring for elderly relatives. In tough time families need support to allow them become the asset to this country that we know they can be.

As we approach the comprehensive spending review 2013 (CSR) on 26th June - where the Government will decide how much it wants to spend and where it wants to spend it – the next six months are crucial to ensuring families get the support they need. The Government has already taken steps to protect pensioners by introducing a ‘triple lock’ to ensure that the state pensions will rise by inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent – whichever is higher.

In contrast families are struggling with real terms cuts in tax credits, child benefit, and maternity and paternity pay among other things. To ensure that families are made a priority in the CSR Fair4Families is calling on the Government to introduce a ‘triple lock’ for families and to put them at the centre of the  CSR.

This ‘triple lock’ involves;

1. The CSR recognises families are assets that will contribute to  our economic and social recovery with the right support. In the long-term we need:
   • an ambitious vision of support for families, including childcare, backed by investment so that more parents can contribute to economic growth and flourish
   • greater investment in housing to give more people the chance to realise their aspiration of a home fit for a family
   • a real shift in spending from ineffective late intervention to early intervention – cutting the cost of social failure in the long-term
   • a credible strategy to begin to eradicate child poverty
2. That crucial services for families with children are protected from spending reductions for the spending review period. This means maintaining spending in real terms on free early years childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds; early intervention services including Sure Start Children’s Centres; and relationship and parenting support.
3. Recognition that family budgets are under severe strain as a result of rising prices and real terms cuts to benefits – further reductions risk pushing many families over the edge. A commitment that no further spending reductions will be sought through real terms cuts to benefits paid to families with children.

To make this a reality for families we need your support. You can take action by downloading a letter to send to the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, by signing our petition and using #Fair4Families on Twitter.