Children’s doctors are calling for urgent government action as inflation rises, the Guardian has reported.
As more and more children are thrown into poverty, they are predicting increased poor nutrition, respiratory illnesses and mental health issues that will have life-long health and well-being impacts for children and their families (with knock-on effects on the economy, one might add).
Lower income families are now facing the most serious cost of living crisis in decades. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: “We ask that the UK government continues to support children and their families by urgently bringing social security packages in line with current energy costs and inflation. We also ask that both Conservative party leadership candidates urgently address how they will support families during the current crisis. Plans need to be in place now, not in late September.”
One paediatrician told the RCPCH: “My patient group tends to be largely from low income, vulnerable families. They have been hit disproportionately hard by the rising cost of living, which is a much larger proportion of their income than mine. They are particularly affected by rising costs of fuel to attend numerous appointments, power to run necessary equipment and nutritious food for their children.”
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