Reaching Out: Progress Report
The Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Taskforce report shows that the Government's continued commitment towards better public services and successful economic policies, such as the minimum wage and through the tax and benefit system, has enabled people to prosper, increase their quality of life and secure better outcomes for the most disadvantaged groups and their children. It is precisely because such progress has been made that the minority who have not benefited and who are caught in a cycle of disadvantage stand out more starkly.
The Government can now focus on social exclusion in a much more specific and targeted way. The Government has a responsibility to provide targeted help and support to the most vulnerable families and children facing the most complex problems and barriers. Equally, those to whom such support is offered have a responsibility to take provision up and stick with it.
Hilary Armstrong, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office said:
‘It is very important we highlight our good record on reducing poverty and narrowing inequality in the light of recent debate. Since 1997 absolute poverty has halved, and the poorest 20% have seen their incomes rise disproportionately higher than the top 20%. This is a great achievement, and we are now in a better position than any government in the past to reach out to the very most excluded who have not benifited from the wider opportunities. That's why we can now take the next steps to tackle this most entrenched exclusion of a minority through personalisation of services, and early intensive intervention and support.’
