Work isn't working: Family, work and progression on a low income

Rising parental employment in recent decades has not translated into improved financial security for many low-income families, but the government’s new Child Poverty Strategy and its 
wider Get Britain Working agenda provide a strong foundation to change this. The decision to remove the two-child limit from April 2026 rightly recognises that adequate social security is central for families both in and out of work.

Supporting more working parents to progress in the labour market could, alongside social security, play an important role in driving progress on child poverty over the next decade. But this will only be realised if our social security, employment support, skills and childcare systems are better designed to meet the realities of modern working families. 

This report sets out the supporting evidence and practical steps needed to deliver that shift