No. 11

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Wiping out Poverty in Great Britain

15 June 2005

Studies

RiTo No. 11, 2005

  • Katre Pall

    Ministry of Social Affairs, manager of benefits policy

  • Mike Buckley

    senior adviser in the British Ministry of Work and Pensions

The primary goal of the government of Great Britain is to give everyone the opportunity to escape the clutches of poverty and social exclusion, and a long-term antipoverty strategy has been designed.

Over the last 20 years hundreds of poor regions were stuck in a downward spiral, and people – some only one street over from each other – lived on separate sides of a great divide. Children who grew up in unfavorable conditions became adults working for low wages or living off welfare, who, even when they retire, are forced to continue living in poverty. With this in mind, the government resolved in its long-term programs to wipe out poverty among children by the year 2020, counter the loss of human resources from long-term unemployment, allow everyone able to work the opportunity to do so, ensure security for those unable to work, ensure that people retain security and independence upon retiring, and offer high-quality public services so that all could enjoy a decent living standard. That is the contribution of Great Britain to achieving the long-term goal of the European Union, which is wiping out poverty throughout Europe.

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