More than 10,000 Sunderland children ‘are living in poverty’
Over one in five children in Sunderland were classed as ‘living in poverty’ last year, new figures show.
Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show 10,518 children aged under 16 in the city were living in relative poverty in the year to March 2023.
It meant 21.5% of children in the area were in a family whose income was below 60% of average household income, before housing costs, and also claimed child benefit and at least one other household benefit.
Although this was down from 26.8% the year before, it remains higher than the national average rate of 20.1%.
Of all these children in Sunderland, 3,412 were below school age.
The data shows they were among 98,955 children in the North East experiencing poverty last year – 21% of all children in the region.
Children’s charity Barnardo’s said youngsters “can’t be happy and healthy if they are going to bed in a cold home, on an empty stomach”.
Barnardo’s chief executive Lynn Perry, said: “Living in poverty means children miss out on opportunities and the activities that make childhood fun and support their development.
“The Government needs to urgently focus on reducing child poverty, including a long-term strategy, ending the two-child limit on benefit payments and ensuring struggling families can afford essentials like food and household bills.”
Children’s commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said she was “horrified” by the figures and also called for welfare reform, including auto-enrolment for free school meals and more free breakfast clubs.
She said: “No child should grow up in poverty in the sixth richest country in the world.”
Nationally there were
2.5 million children living in low-income families before housing costs – but the number hit a record high and was nearly double after housing costs were considered, with 4.3 million children in relative poverty.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride said: “I know the last few years have been tough. That’s why we stepped in with the biggest cost-of-living package in Europe, worth an average of £3,800 per household.”