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IN THE UK
• One in 4 children in the UK lives in poverty (Source: HM Treasury/National Statistics Online)[1]
• It would take less than 0.5% of the UK GNP to eradicate child poverty within the UK (Source: UNICEF)[2]
WORLDWIDE
• Worldwide, one child dies every 3 seconds due to malnutrition and mostly preventable diseases. 1 billion children, almost every other child, live in poverty. (Source: UNICEF)
• World leaders have committed themselves to a set of eight targets called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which if adequately funded will halve extreme poverty worldwide by 2015 (Source: UN Millennium Project)
• According to HM Treasury, the UK is on target to meet its promised contribution of 0.7% of its GNP to the MDGs by 2009. Currently the UK contributes 0.48% to this cause (Sources: HM Treasury & UN Millennium Project)
BRITISH SPENDING
UK Budget 2006: Total Expenditure 552 billion (*)
To compare British spending to spending in the US: click here
(*) British Spending: Chart categories
General Services: For easier comparison with other International budgets, this section comprises both the Personal Social Services (26bn) and the Other Expenditure (57bn) as specified on the 2006 HM Treasury Budget. Other expenditure includes general public services; recreation, culture, media and sport; international cooperation and development; as well as public service pensions.
Social Protection: Incorporates all welfare programs in the UK: sickness & disability benefits, state pensions, widow benefits, family benefits/tax credits, income support, unemployment etc.
[1] In 2004, there were 11.6 million people aged under 16 living in the UK. (National Statistics Online). 2.4 million children (21% of UK Children) were living in low-income households and 3.4 million children (29%) were regarded to be living in low-income households after taking into account housing costs. (HM Treasury Child Poverty Review 2004)
The government regards low-income to be below 60% of the national median income. UNICEF regards the poverty line to be below 50% of the national average.
[2] UNICEF: A league table of child poverty in rich nations, published 2000
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