Boost the economy by ending child poverty

‘Too many children are going to school hungry; if we’re all about making “tough choices” why not start with families who have to make tough choices every day?’ Photograph: Getty/iStockphoto

While party leaders talk about boosting the economy, Barnardo’s reports that 440,000 children sleep on the floor because families can’t afford beds for them (More than 1 million children in UK sleep on floor or share bed, study finds, 29 September). This seems the right moment to remind our leaders that one of the most effective ways of boosting the economy is by ending child poverty.

Driving down poverty eases pressure on local resources, people are healthier, they gain more from learning, there’s less strain on mental health services, more jobs are taken up and crime drops. This isn’t some overoptimistic artist’s impression: studies confirm the economic benefits.