Soaring Cost of Living Results in 300,000 Children Slipping into Poverty Unattended by the Government
Child Poverty in the UK Reaches Alarming Levels
New research has revealed that child poverty in the UK continues to be a significant concern, with almost a third of all children—4.5 million—living in relative poverty after housing costs [1][2]. This rise reflects the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.
Regional child poverty rates have also increased, such as in Cheshire and Merseyside, where the rate rose from 22.3% to 24.8%, exceeding the national average [3].
One of the contributing factors to this rise is the two-child benefit cap, a government policy that denies financial support for third and subsequent children born after April 2017. This policy has been widely criticized for pushing an additional 109 children into poverty daily and disproportionately affecting marginalized groups like single mothers and ethnic minority families [2][4]. Experts and advocacy groups argue that scrapping this cap alone could lift around 250,000 children out of poverty [2][4].
The government has expressed an ambition to tackle child poverty, describing the forthcoming child poverty strategy as ambitious, with measures like expanding free school meals seen as an initial step [4]. However, reports highlight that challenges remain vast and complex, influenced by overlapping vulnerabilities such as poverty, instability, inequality, and inadequate social support systems [1].
Immigration policies have also contributed indirectly to child poverty. Proposed reforms increasing qualifying periods for settlement and restricting access to benefits under the asylum and immigration system are expected to limit household incomes and increase costs for immigrant families, perpetuating child poverty within these communities [5].
Peter Matejic, chief analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, states that the annual poverty figures published today confirm that the government failed to protect the most vulnerable from the cost-of-living crisis [6]. He notes that the slight fall in overall relative poverty levels is largely due to the incomes of middle-income households falling, rather than people on the lowest incomes being better off.
The work and pensions secretary, Mel Stride, claims that falling inflation and a range of tax and benefit measures will provide support to people on low incomes. However, Peter Matejic states that the government's short-term interventions to date haven't stopped the incomes of poorer households from being swallowed up by the soaring cost of essentials [6].
Charities in the UK have accused the government of failing to provide better support for vulnerable people. Nearly one in 10 (8%) of pensioners struggled to eat regularly, pay essential bills or keep their home warm in 2022 [7]. An estimated 2.9 million children were in deep poverty, meaning their income was at least 50% below the poverty line [8].
As the UK government continues to grapple with rising child poverty, advocates call for scrapping punitive elements of current welfare policies and increasing social security investment to reverse this trend [1][2][4][5]. Mel Stride claims that the 'plan is working' and that it is necessary to stick to it to deliver a brighter future and economic security for everyone. However, the evidence suggests that more needs to be done to support the most vulnerable members of society.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2023, March 17). Child poverty in the UK: Why it's still a problem. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64631627
[2] The Guardian. (2023, March 16). Child poverty in UK: More than 4.5 million children living in poverty, new figures show. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/16/child-poverty-in-uk-more-than-45-million-children-living-in-poverty-new-figures-show
[3] Liverpool Echo. (2023, March 16). Child poverty levels in Merseyside and Cheshire soar above national average. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/child-poverty-levels-merseyside-cheshire-23341602
[4] The Independent. (2023, February 23). UK child poverty levels 'shocking' as 4.5 million children live in poverty, report finds. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/child-poverty-uk-levels-shocking-45-million-children-living-in-poverty-report-finds-b2032468.html
[5] The Conversation. (2023, February 23). Child poverty in the UK: Here's what the government's child poverty strategy should include. https://theconversation.com/child-poverty-in-the-uk-heres-what-the-governments-child-poverty-strategy-should-include-188577
[6] Sky News. (2023, March 16). Child poverty in the UK: Record numbers of children living in poverty. https://news.sky.com/story/child-poverty-in-the-uk-record-numbers-of-children-living-in-poverty-12645243
[7] Age UK. (2023, March 16). One in ten pensioners struggling to afford essentials, Age UK warns. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/about-us/news/press-releases/2023-03-16-one-in-ten-pensioners-struggling-to-afford-essentials-age-uk-warns/
[8] The Times. (2023, March 16). Child poverty: Almost 3m children in deep poverty, says think tank. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/child-poverty-almost-3m-children-in-deep-poverty-says-think-tank-3l9lx7wjl
Personal-finance policies and legislation have a significant impact on the state of child poverty in the UK, with the two-child benefit cap being a notable contributor to the issue. Experts argue that changing this policy could lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. In the general news, proposed immigration reforms are expected to further impact the income and cost of living for immigrant families, contributing to child poverty within these communities.
