According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on October 16, 2014, federal safety net programs kept 8.2 million children, more than 11 percent of children, out of poverty in 2013, and cut the child poverty rate from 27.5 percent to 16.4 percent, a 40 percent reduction (see Figure and Table 1). These numbers are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, which, unlike the official poverty measure, takes into account the impact of safety net benefits and necessary expenses on the resources available to families, as well as geographic differences in housing costs. According to this measure, 16.4 percent of children, or 12.2 million children, were poor in 2013.
Because the supplemental poverty measure takes into account taxes and non-cash benefits, it can show the impact of anti-poverty programs that aren’t included in the official poverty measure. According to the supplemental poverty measure:
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) kept 4.7 million children out of poverty in 2013, and cut child poverty by 28 percent. The EITC alone kept 3.2 million children out of poverty, and the refundable part of the Child Tax Credit 1.7 million children.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) kept 2.1 million children out of poverty and cut child poverty by 15 percent.
Social Security benefits kept 1.6 million children out of poverty.
Housing subsidies kept 1 million children out of poverty.
The school lunch program kept 815,000 children out of poverty.
Child support received kept 740,000 children out of poverty.
Supplemental Security Income kept 740,000 children out of poverty.
Unemployment benefits kept 670,000 children out of poverty.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits kept 370,000 children out of poverty.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits kept 300,000 children out of poverty.
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