National poverty charity Turn2Us has highlighted new figures which reveal that child poverty has continued to rise in the majority of constituencies in the East Midlands, even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than one in four (27%) children are now in poverty after housing costs in the East Midlands, according to the research carried out by Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty coalition. Figures for Erewash suggest that 4037 chlidren are in poverty, 22.8% of the population, a 0.6% increase on the period covering 2015-20, whilst figures in the neighbouring Amber Valley were 3895, 25.1% of the population, and showing a 1.9% increase on the same period.
Stagnating incomes, high housing costs and cuts to the social security system have pushed many families to the brink. The biggest constituency increases have been seen in Leicester East, Leicester West and Leicester South.
The rise in poverty comes despite most families working. The proportion of children living in poverty who are in working households has increased from 67% five years ago to 75% now.
Sara Willcocks, Head of External Affairs at Turn2us, said: “The impact of growing up in poverty is well documented; children in low income households have worse mental and physical health, they do less well in schools and have fewer opportunities in the future. This is why it is morally unacceptable for any child, let alone millions, to be allowed to grow up in financial hardship.
“Unfortunately, our children are now paying the debt for a decade of austerity, cuts and freezes. Wages have been allowed to remain low, rents have been free to rise and nothing has been done to tackle the soaring cost of living.
“If the government truly believes in compassion and justice, ministers must fully commit to solving it. We are urging the Prime Minister to listen to our recommendations and include them in a comprehensive strategy to end child poverty once and for all.”
End Child Poverty is calling for an urgent Government plan to end child poverty including the creation of a credible plan to end child poverty, to increase child benefits and to maintain the £20 uplift to Universal Credit and extend to legacy benefits too.
A full report and all of the collated data can be found here.