Giving families an extra £20 a week could cut children’s chances of entering care, study finds
A study has found that providing families with an extra £20 per week could reduce the likelihood of children entering the care system, particularly among those living below the poverty line. Data from six local authorities showed that financial hardship is linked to higher rates of child protection involvement, while the temporary Universal Credit uplift during the pandemic was associated with reduced escalation to child protection plans. Researchers recommend early identification of financial hardship by agencies to prevent deeper social care intervention.
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NewsUKHome NewsGiving families an extra £20 a week could cut children’s chances of entering care, study findsThe uplift to Universal Credit during the Covid-19 pandemic showed that children who benefitted were less likely to progress to child protection plansHolly Evans Thursday 30 April 2026 09:19 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966321","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/children-social-care-poverty-line-b2966321.html","title":"Giving families an extra £20 a week ‘could cut children’s chances of entering…
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