New figures reveal one in four children are living below the breadline
Politicians believe situation is about to get worse due to the cost-of-living crisis
Thousands of children i n Wi s h aw and Motherwell are living in poverty, according to official estimates.
Almost two out of every five in the Ladywell area of Motherwell are living below the breadline and more than a quarter of children living in Wishaw’s Craigneuk area are also living in poverty – that’s according to the Department of Work and Pesnions (DWP).
The statistics – 38 per cent in Ladywell and 27 per cent in Craigneuk – are based on the number of children living in families whose income was less than 60 per cent of the median income as of March 31 last year.
This measure (median) is the dividing point at which half of the population earn above and half below that amount. Population figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) from mid2020 were also used to produce the estimates.
They also show over a quarter of kids (27 per cent) living in Motherwell West were also living in poverty.
Across Scotland as a whole the numbers show that on average 19 per cent of children were in families living below the breadline. Those living in Allanton ( 12 per cent); Clydesdale and New Stevenston; and Netherton and Kirkhill (both 14 per cent) were least likely to be living in poverty in and around the towns of Wishaw and Motherwell.
The relative number of households with children in poverty in Wishaw North; Wishaw East ( both 17 per cent); and Overtown and Gowkthrapple (18 per cent) were also below the national average.
Those living in Wishaw South; and Motherwell North were in line with the national average at 19 per cent.
In three other geographical localities nearby, Newmains; Pather; and Harthill and Salsburgh the number of children living in poverty was 22 per cent, and in Motherwell South the number was a percentage point higher.
ONS s t at i s t i c s o n child poverty are usually published each year but due to data quality issues, only the persistent child poverty estimate was updated this year
In March last year the f i gures estimate t hat more than 175,000 children in Scotland were below the breadline, one i n seven, that’s over 16,000 more children than in March 2015 when 158,781 were living in relative poverty.
And worryingly, three out of five of the youngsters who were living in poverty ( 107,507) belong to working families, where at least one parent is employed.
John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “It is worrying that many of the children affected have full- time working parents. This shows many jobs are failing to pay a living wage.”
The Poverty Alliance, which represents 350 groups across Scotland, said the figures were a shameful injustice.
Director Peter Kelly, added: “No child should have their life chances restricted and restrained simply because of where they were born.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Tackling child poverty is our national mission and we are helping to lift thousands of children out of poverty in Scotland within our limited powers.
“L a s t m o nt h, w e published our second Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan Best Start Bright Futures which has a raft of clear actions we will take to provide immediate support to children and families and to break the cycle of child poverty.
“As we have s aid previously, the plan is backed by new investment of £113m on top of funding already allocated.
“As a result of these new commitments and actions taken to date, modelling shows that child poverty is projected to fall to its lowest level in nearly 30 years, with more than 60,000 fewer children estimated to be living in relative poverty in 2023 compared to 2017.
“The plan includes an £80m parental employment package and £ 15m fund to support parents with barriers to work.
“We will also t ake steps to mitigate the UK Government’s benefit cap which is causing hardship to poorer families.
“In addition, the Scottish Child Payment – one of five family benefits – doubled to £ 20 at the start of April and will increase to £25 and extended to under-16s at the end of the year.”
No child should have their life chances restricted simply because of where they were born