In 1997, the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, committed the UK government to eradicating child poverty, forever, within twenty years. As we begin the new millennium, what is the state of poverty in Britain? What is the nature of the ambitious task that the government has set itself? And will it achieve its aim? This book is the most authoritative study of poverty and social exclusion in Britain at the start of the 21st century. It reports on the most comprehensive survey of poverty and social exclusion, ever to be undertaken in Britain: The Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey. This enormously rich data set records levels of poverty not just in terms of income and wealth but by including information about the goods and services which are necessary to avoid poverty. The relationship between poverty and factors such as age, gender and disability are explored, as well as other social problems such as crime and neighbourhood disadvantage. Poverty and social exclusion in Britain: presents the first large scale analysis of this data set; charts the extent and nature of material and social deprivation and exclusion in Britain at the end of the 20th century; makes the first ever measurement of the extent of social exclusion based on a survey specifically designed for this purpose; provides a clear conceptual understanding of poverty and social exclusion from both an national and international perspective. This important book should be read by officials and policy makers in national and local government, NGOs, charities and voluntary organisations dealing with poverty and social exclusion. It will also be required reading for academics and students of social policy, sociology, public health, economics and politics.