14 January 2005
Labour has achieved only limited success in tackling poverty and social exclusion since 1997, according to a new study.
While progress has been made in reducing child poverty, other vulnerable groups have been overlooked, says the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, based at the London School of Economics.
A more equal society?, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on January 12, recognises that the government faced record levels of poverty and inequality when it was elected eight years ago.
The main beneficiaries of tax and benefit reforms have been low-income families with children, and pensioners in relative poverty.
But elsewhere the picture is mixed, with relative poverty among working-age adults without children rising to record levels in 2002/03.
Other findings include:
- Primary class sizes have fallen, with poorer schools showing the most improvement, but differences in social class still help to determine achievement at secondary level.
- Substantial differences remain in neighbourhood services, with only some poorer areas enjoying improvements.
- Older pensioners and disabled children have been neglected while rough sleepers and children at risk of exclusion from school have been targeted for help.
- Asylum seekers have fewer rights to income, employment and housing.
- NHS services are being focused towards disadvantaged communities, but other policies are 'rather vague or limited'.
Professor John Hills, co-editor of the study, said Britain had yet to become a more equal society. 'There is still a very long way to go to reach an unambiguous picture of success,' he added.
PFjan2005
