Child poverty fell by over 100,000 children during the previous government for the simple reason they put money into the pockets of the poorest and they made work pay. Poverty is the single biggest determinant of positive outcomes for children in health, education and achieving success in employment.

As we enter 2012, a growing majority of people are living close to the breadline - and in some cases are living beneath it. This contraction in living standards is not something that we in the western world have experienced for a long time.

Low pay it is having a deeply damaging effect on the lives of children in Britain. These children, whose parents, according to UNICEF, 'often work long hours or work several jobs to makes ends meet', face a long list of disadvantages: greater risk of obesity, heart disease and mental health problems.