Shocking child poverty in parts of city revealed

MORE than half of children are growing up in poverty in some of Wales’ most deprived areas, which include parts of Cardiff.

That is the shocking finding of a study of deprivation data which reveals the parts of the nation where children are brought up in families living below the breadline.

The data show that the total number of children living in poverty in Wales has been falling from 127,191 children in 2015 to 124,643 children in March 2019.

That’s equivalent to one in every six children in Wales – although that ranges from 21% in the worst-hit counties of Blaenau Gwent and Pembrokeshire, to 12% in Monmouthshire.

But looking at smaller areas, the concentration of children living in poverty reaches 55% in areas like part of Riverside in Cardiff and just over 50% in the Graig area of Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The figures include teenagers up to the age of 19 who are still living at home with their parents or carers and are in full time education or training.

The proportions are estimates based on Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures on the number of children living in families with a household income of less than 60% of the UK average as of March 2019, and population estimates from the Office for National Statistics as of mid 2018.

As such, they can only offer an approximation of the proportion of children living in poverty – but the DWP has confirmed they do give a broad indication of local areas with a very high or very low proportion.

Charities have also warned that child poverty is only going to get worse because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Judith Cavanagh, coordinator of the

End Child Poverty coalition, said: “These figures from Government show the extent to which we have been failing children in poverty even before the outbreak of coronavirus.

“We have not all entered this crisis equally. Children in poverty will be among the worst affected by the crisis as households see their income hit further, through loss of employment and the increased costs of staying home – such as food, fuel bills and supporting home schooling.

“Policies such as the two-child limit on children’s benefits and the benefit cap have made a significant contribution to the rise in child poverty over the past five years.

“As more families now have to turn to the benefits system as a result of coronavirus we are urging the Government to scrap those policies, which they argued acted as incentives to get people into work.

“We would also like the Government to introduce an immediate increase to child benefit of £10 per child as a fast and effective means of getting support to low income families.

“Children in low income families have been failed over the past 5 years. Our response to Covid-19 must not fail them again.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “We are doing whatever it takes to support the lowest paid families through these unprecedented times, implementing an extensive package of measures to do so.

“Widespread support is available to families, including increased Universal Credit payments, contributory benefits, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-employment Income Support Scheme, Statutory Sick Pay, mortgage holidays and greater protection for renters.

“Despite the challenges of the current pandemic we remain committed to providing opportunities and tackling the root causes of poverty.”