100,000 more children are living in poverty and it has been branded “shocking”, even before the coronavirus lockdown of the economy bites.
The increase, part of a 600,000 surge since the Conservatives came to power a decade ago, means 4.2 million youngsters in the UK – or 30 per cent – are living below the breadline.
Overall, the number of people living in poverty soared by 500,000 to 14.5 million in 2018-19, the highest total since the statistics were first collected in 2002.
Sam Royston, director of policy at the Children’s Society, warned the figures showed poverty was “not just rising, but deepening” with two-thirds if children now in severe hardship.
“The current coronavirus crisis is likely to see this number continue to rise as parents face job losses and falls in earnings.”
“We are facing a child poverty crisis,” warned Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, “Unless concerted action is taken now, this week's laid-off workers and their children will be adding to next year's poverty statistics.”
Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children, said: “Even before coronavirus, our country's safety net was failing too many children. Now there's a danger that even more children will fall through the net.”
The year 2020 was the target of the Tony Blair’s government pledged to abolish child poverty altogether, a vow put into legislation in 2010.
However, it was abolished by Iain Duncan Smith who called it an “unsustainable” commitment
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ReplyDeleteIs there any chance of having some share icons such as twitter, e-mail etc. on this blog?
There are some excellent articles and these icons would be such an easy way of sharing them?