More Info

• News
• Press Releases
• Newsletters
• Publications

Campaign News

127 Professors lecturers and other academics write letter to the Observer in support of call on Chancellor to Keep the Promise to End Child Poverty - 12th of Apr, 2009

The plea from 110 MPs to prioritise action against child poverty in the forthcoming budget (Letters, 29 March) must not go unheard.

We know from our research the damaging impact poverty has on children's immediate and future lives. Families on low incomes were forgotten in previous recessions, when the proportion of children living in poverty grew from 1 in 10 in 1979 to 1 in three in 1998.

An urgent improvement in financial support is needed for the families who are hardest hit during this financial crisis. Such measures will also support the economy. Research has shown that extra money in the pockets of families in poverty is typically spent on essentials for their children.

There are sound social, economic and moral reasons for the government to fulfil its pledge to halve child poverty by 2010 with a budget that invests in children and their parents.

Ruth Lister, Professor of Social Policy, Loughborough University and Fran Bennett, Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford

Joanne Abbott, Health Services Researcher, NHS Quality Improvement, Scotland Peter Alcock, Professor of Social Policy, University of Birmingham A.B. Atkinson, Professor of Economics, University of Oxford Nick Bailey, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow Dr Graham Baker, Medical Research Council, Social and Public Health Science Unit, Glasgow. Dr Clare Bambra, Lecturer in Public Health Policy, Department of Geography, Durham University David Batty, Research Fellow, MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow Dr Linda Bauld, Reader in Social Policy, University of Bath Professor Saul Becker, Head of School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham Sylvia Bernard, Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York. David Berridge, Professor of Child and Family Welfare, University of Bristol Thilo Boeck, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Social Action, De Montfort University, Leicester. Dr G. S. Bowpitt, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Nottingham Trent University Jonathan Bradshaw, Professor of Social Policy, University of York Dr Geraldine Brady, Research Fellow, Coventry University François Briatte, Science Studies Unit, University of Edinburgh Tania Burchardt, Senior Research Fellow, London School of Economics Dr Christie Cabral, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Mick Carpenter, Reader in Social Policy, University of Warwick Karen Clarke, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester Dr Tom Cockburn, Senior Lecturer, Department of Applied Social Sciences, University of Bradford David Collison, Professor of Accounting and Society, University of Dundee Anne Corden, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York Gary Craig, Professor of Social Justice, University of Hull Rod Dacombe, Lecturer in Public Services Policy and Management, King’s College, London. Bob Deacon, Professor of International Social Policy, University of Sheffield Hartley Dean, Reader in Social Policy, London School of Economics Dr Christopher Deeming, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Nandita Dogra, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics David Donnison, Professor Emeritus, Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow Elizabeth Dowler, Professor in Food and Social Policy, University of Warwick Simon Duncan, Professor in Comparative Social Policy, University of Bradford Peter Dwyer, Professor of Social Policy, Nottingham Trent University Rosalind Edwards, Professor in Social Policy, London South Bank University Ruth Evans, Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Reading Eldin Fahmy, Lecturer in Social Policy, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Professor Robert Fine, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick Julie Fish, Reader in Social Work and Health Inequalities, De Montfort University. Tony Fitzpatrick, Reader, University of Nottingham. Dr Donald Forrester, Reader in Child Welfare, University of Bedfordshire Alan France, Professor in Social Policy Research and Director, Centre for Research in Social Policy, Loughborough University Professor David Fryer, Hon Fellow, University of Stirling. Dr Jasmine Gideon, Lecturer in Development Studies, Birkbeck College Morag Gillespie, Deputy Director, Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University Dr Val Gillies, Reader, Families and Social Capital Group, London South Bank University Caroline Glendinning, Professor of Social Policy, Social Policy Research University, University of York Dr Jim Goddard, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bradford Peter Golding, Professor of Sociology, Loughborough University Professor David Gordon, Director of Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research, University of Bristol. Ian Gough, Professor of Social Policy, University of Bath Dr Chris Grover, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Lancaster University Bernard Harris, Professor of History of Social Policy, University of Southampton Dr Stella Hart, Research Fellow, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick Marianne Hester, Professor of Gender, Violence and International Policy & NSPCC Professor of Child Sexual Exploitation, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Frances Heywood, Senior Research Fellow, University of Bristol Michael Hill, Research Professor, University of Strathclyde Dr Ulrike Hohmann, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, University of Plymouth Dr Chris Holden, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Goretti Horgan, Research Fellow, School for Policy Studies, University of Ulster Dr Robin Humphrey, Director Postgraduate Research Training, Newcastle University Dr Shona Hunter, RCUK Fellow in the Machinery of Governance, University of Leeds Alan Hutton, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Caledonian Business School  , Glasgow Caledonian University  Dr Misa Izuhara, Senior Lecturer University of Bristol Rana Jawad, Research Fellow, University of Warwick Dr Carole Johnson, Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, Manchester Business School Dr Sue Kelly, University of Edinburgh Dr Anne-Marie Kramer, Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow, University of Warwick Professor Hilary Land, University of Bristol Professor Ruth Levitas, University of Bristol Nancy Lombard, Lecturer in Sociology, Edinburgh Napier University Dr Patricia J. Lucas, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Professor Geraldine Macdonald, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queens University, Belfast. Dr Ellen Malos, (Hon) Senior University Research Fellow, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Dr Kirk Mann, Senior Lecturer, University of Leeds Professor Nick Manning, Director of Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham Dr Melanie McCarry, Lecturer in Childhood Studies, University of Bristol Dr John Mckdendrick, Director, Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University Mike McManus, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Sheffield Hallam University. Jane Millar, Professor of Social Policy, University of Bath John Mohan, Professor of Social Policy, University of Southampton Gerry Mooney, Senior Lecturer Social Policy, Open University Dr Carlo Morelli, Economic Studies, University of Dundee Dr Parita Mukta, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick Joanne Neale, Professor of Public Health, Oxford Brookes University Dr Sevasti-Melissa Nolas, CAMHS Evidence Based Practice Unit, University College, London and Anna Freud Centre Julia O’ Connor, Professor of Social Policy, University of Ulster Dr Liz Oliver, Research Fellow, University of Liverpool Dr Michael Orton, Senior Research Fellow, University of Warwick Dr Robert Page, Reader in Democratic Socialism and Social Policy, University of Birmingham Jan Pahl, Professor of Social Policy Emeritus, University of Kent Simon Pemberton, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bristol Stephen Platt, Professor of Health Policy Research, University of Edinburgh Dr Dendy Platt, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol Dr Debora Price, King’s College, London. Simon Prideaux, Lecturer in Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Leeds Simon Rahilly, Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University Professor Peter Ratcliffe, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick Tess Ridge, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bath Karen Rowlingson, Professor of Social Policy, University of Birmingham Kirstein Rummery, Professor of Social Policy, University of Stirling. Jatinder Sandhar, Research Associate, Nottingham Trent University Hilary Saunders, Research Associate, Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. Gill Scott, Emeritus Professor and Hon Director of Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University Dr Daniela Sime, Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational and Professional Studies, University of Strathclyde Dr Stephen Sinclair, Deputy Director, Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University Adrian Sinfield, Professor Emeritus of Social Policy, University of Edinburgh Dr Alison Smith, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Edinburgh Paul Spicker, Grampian Chair of Public Policy, Robert Gordon University Professor Bruce Stafford, University of Nottingham Dr Sarah Thomas de Benitez, Research Associate, CASE, London School of Economics Nigel Thomas, Professor of Childhood and Youth Research, University of Central Lancashire Dr Lucy Thompson, Hon Research Fellow, University of Glasgow Kay Tisdall, Reader in Social Policy, University of Edinburgh Peter Townsend, Professor of International Social Policy, London School of Economics Professor John Veit-Wilson, Newcastle University Dr Penny Vera-Sanso, Lecturer, Birkbeck College, University of London  Dr Andrew Wallace, Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Fran Wasoff, Professor of Family Policies, University of Edinburgh Dr Adam Whitworth, Research Fellow, University of Oxford Kate Wilkinson, Research Fellow, University of Oxford Fiona Williams, Professor of Social Policy, University of Leeds Clare Williams, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Wolverhampton Dr Sarah Wilson, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Stirling Dr Claire Worley, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Manchester Metropolitan University Dr Sharon Wright, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Stirling