Annex B
SPENDING REVIEW 2002
THE
SPENDING REVIEW
2002 PUBLIC SERVICE
AGREEMENT[526]
PSA1
Reduce the number of children in low-income
households by at least a quarter by 2004, as a contribution towards
the broader target of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating
it by 2020. Joint target with HM Treasury.
Technical Note
The target for 2004 will be monitored by reference
to the number of children in low-income households by 2004-05.
Low-income households are defined as households with income below
60% of median, as reported in the annual Households Below Average
Income (HBAI) statistics published as National Statistics
by the DWP.[527]
HBAI outturn data for 2004-05 will be available in early 2006.[528]
HBAI statistics cover Great Britain. Progress
will be reported against the 1998-99 baseline figures and methodology.
The baseline is 4.2 million after housing costs and 3.1 million
before housing costs. Progress is measured against both baselines.
In addition to this relative measure HBAI also looks at the number
of children in low-income households in both absolute and persistent
terms.
A child is defined as any individual aged under
16 or an unmarried 16 to 18 year old on a course up to and including
"A" level standard (or "Highers" in Scotland).
Reducing the number of children in low-income
households by 2004 is just one of the targets the Government has
set to ensure it is on track to eradicate child poverty within
20 years. Further targets, including worklessness, quality of
housing, education and health, are set out in the Government's
annual report into poverty and social exclusion—Opportunity
for all.[529]
For the longer term, DWP will publish preliminary
conclusions of their consultation on indicators (set out in Measuring
Child Poverty) by spring 2003 after a full analysis of the
responses and technical implications. Work stemming from this
consultation will ensure that improvements to measurement underpin
better policy making and promote greater accountability as we
make progress towards our longer-term goals.
526 http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/sda/oct/tn_oct.asp.
This Technical Note is presented here in its original form for
reference, so some statements may be out of date. Back
527
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai.html Back
528
HBAI only reports financial year data. Back
529
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/oppal-fourth/index.htm Back
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