Budget Announces Child Trust Fund Increase For Disabled Children, England

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 23 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT


The Every Disabled Child Matters campaign (EDCM) welcomes the announcement of measures to provide additional financial support to disabled children in the 2009 Budget.

Rt Hon Alaistair Darling MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, stated in his Budget speech that 'children with disabilities need extra help to make the most of their potential'. As a result, he announced that the Government will add an extra £100 per year for disabled children and £200 per year for severely disabled children to Child Trust Fund payments.

EDCM is pleased that the Government has made positive futures for disabled children a clear priority. The Child Trust Fund is a savings and investment account for children. The account belongs to the child and can't be touched until they turn 18. As payments for disabled children will be made on an annual basis they will provide significant additional support to disabled young people as they to start their adult life.

These measures form part of the Government's Budget commitments to reduce child poverty, which also include the announcement that Child Tax Credit will increase by £20 and that caring responsibilities for grandparents of working age will count towards their entitlement for basic state pension.

EDCM would like the Government to go further in the next spending review to ensure that families with disabled children are able to lift themselves out of poverty, in particular by: Amending the tax credits system, to make work for parents of disabled children a viable option Further work on take-up of Disability Living Allowance to ensure that all families who are eligible recieve support

Srabani Sen, EDCM Board Member and Chief Executive of Contact a Family said

"EDCM welcome the measures announced in the Budget to tackle poverty for disabled children in the UK to increase Child Trust Funds - we are delighted by this significant investment in the future for disabled children. We also welcome the wider measures to increase the child element of child tax credit and to acknowledge the caring role of grandparents. However, we urge Government to make further commitments to tackle the high levels of poverty experienced by disabled children and their families through measures to support parents access to work and take up of benefits such as Disability Living Allowance."

Source
Every Disabled Child Matters

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