Birmingham child poverty

New figures show 84,000 children are living in poverty in Birmingham. 37 per cent of children in Birmingham are living in poverty – a number almost twice the national average. Children living in poverty belong to households which have an income of less than £15,000.  34 per cent of nursery and primary school pupils and 32 per cent of secondary school pupils are claiming free school meals (Across England, the number is 19 per cent of pupils attending nursery and primary schools and 16 per cent of pupils attending secondary school.)

The numbers are even higher in some inner-city wards. It estimates that 47 per cent of children in Nechells, 45 per cent in Sparkbrook and 41 per cent in Aston are in poverty.