Commenting on the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Michael Trend, Executive Director of the Relationships Foundation said:
“With a £42 billion annual on-cost to the taxpayer for family breakdown – double the cost of alcohol abuse, quadruple the cost of tobacco abuse, it is time the Government had a real family policy.”
“Financial pressure contributes to family breakdown. With nursery places, rail fare regulation, and fuel duty changes this government is beginning to recognise the pressure successive governments have put on ordinary families.”
“But it is not all about financial pressure. If the Government wants to deliver on its outcomes, to bring public spending down, and to make UK tax and skills sustainable and competitive in the long term, it has to put family at the heart of policy making.”
“Investment in our social infrastructure is as vital as spending on physical infrastructure. Growth is about making Britain the most family friendly country in Europe – a pledge the Government has left to rot.”
Key Questions the Chancellor must answer:
• What measures would need to be taken to reduce the financial pressures on families in the UK to a level comparable with the top five family friendly countries in Europe?
• Given the Prime Minister’s commitments, has every initiative in this budget been tested against the benchmark of whether it makes Britain more or less family-friendly?
• What long term strategy does the Government have for reducing family breakdown, and reducing the costs of family breakdown?
For more information, broadcasting or quotes please contact j.ashcroft@relationshipsfoundation-org.stackstaging.com or see our tweets.
Notes to Editors
• Comparisons with Europe from the Relationships Foundation’s Pressure Gauge
13.9% of UK households with dependent children have household debt more than 100% of their monthly disposable income. This is the highest in Europe, equal with Germany (Eurostat, latest data 2008).
15.4% of UK households with dependent children experience housing cost overburden, the fourth highest in Europe (Eurostat, latest data 2009).
We have the third highest childcare costs as a percentage of family income, 23.5% (Eurostat, latest data 2004).
• Financial pressure can lead to relationship problems and relationship breakdown:
One in twelve households had experienced relationship problems as a result of financial difficulties. (Kempson, E. (2002) Over-indebtedness in Britain: A report to the Department of Trade and Industry).
The Legal Services Research Centre found ‘Debt problems can bring about ill-health, relationship breakdown and loss of employment’ and be ‘particularly distressing impacts on parents’ relationships with their children.’ (Pascoe Pleasance, et al. “A Helping Hand: The impact of debt advice on people’s lives” 2007).
27% of couples regularly argue when they try to discuss their finances (FSA 2006).
10.7 million people suffer relationship problems because of money worries (YouGov / Breakdown Britain, CSJ, p.19).
Family breakdown costs the UK taxpayer around £42 billion a year (Relationships Foundation Cost of Family Failure report. Tobacco costs £13.74 billion (Policy Exchange), Alcohol costs between £20-£25 billion (DH figures).