What Are The Steps Taken By Government To Reduce Poverty?

Government can take numerous steps to help reduce poverty - such as increasing spending on public services, the welfare state and charities. It also has the power to reduce taxes, the cost of living and to make healthcare free to access for all. Increasing social mobility can also help to reduce poverty.

What can the government do to reduce poverty?

• Increase spending on public services such as hospitals and schools, which in the long term will benefit those worst off in society.

• Reduce the cost of living. The cost of living can be influenced by governmental action. For example, the government can pressurise companies to reduce energy prices if the poorest in society are being charged extorntionate fees by multi-billion dollar businesses.

• Increase governmental grants to both domestic and international charities will help to reduce poverty at home and abroad.

• Increase social mobility. Public spending can address the problem of equality of opportunity. Increasing social mobility will reduce the likelihood that someone who is born in poverty will die in poverty.

• Reduce taxes for the poorest in society - which will immediately increase their economic prospects.

• Enlarge the welfare state to alleviate the problems of poverty. For example, if healthcare is free to access for all and unemployment or low income benefits can be claimed, then this will put more money into the pocket of someone in poverty.

• Attempt to increase employment opportunities. If a person is receiving a wage then less money will need to be given to them in the shape of benefits - and they can be taxed by the state and will have more money to spend on commodities.