The number of kids from families with key workers who are living in poverty in the North East is more than double the national average, a report has revealed today.
Across the UK, one in five children are said to be living in poverty, according to an analysis undertaken for the TUC by Landman Economic. However, that rises to 41 percent in the North East - more than two in five, reports the Mirror.
The study suggests that the number of children who live in poverty has already increased by 65,000 during the last two years, reaching almost one million in 2022. The next worst off regions are the North West and London, both of which have 29% of children in key worker families living in poverty.
Scotland and Wales have the lowest rates of children from key worker families living in poverty, with figures of 8.3 percent and 8.9 percent respectively. The news comes as inflation is predicted to increase to 13% in the coming months.
Last month, Newcastle's West End Foodbank saw more than 2,000 users picking up food parcels, an increase of at least 400 from its usual number. And not only are more families using the foodbank, but the squeeze on everyone's pockets means that donations have 'dropped off' and the charity must buy food to make up the deficit.
John McCrory, the food bank's CEO said that what the research found is sad but not surprising. He said: "We have seen an increase in the number of new faces coming to the food bank and it's very much low income based on the fact that household bills are increasing dramatically, particularly the cost of food.
"Prices are going up gradually, basic items are increasing in cost and because people are struggling donations are dropping off. We'd be doing 20 tonnes a month to make up our food parcels and we are seeing less than half of that coming in - we're having to buy that shortfall to make up the balance."
Key workers are set to feel the pinch even more as real terms pay-packets are set to fall by £1,100 this year for nurses and more than £1,500 for paramedics. Frances Grady, TUC general secretary said: "Ministers' heartless decision to hold down pay will cause widespread hardship and put the UK at greater risk of recession.
"After the longest wage squeeze in 200 years, we urgently need to get more money in the pockets of working families. It is particularly galling that, as key workers are being told to tighten their belts, City executives are enjoying bumper bonuses."
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Sara Ogilvie, policy director at the Child Poverty Action Group, said: "Children are growing up in poverty as a direct result of cruel policy decisions, including harsh benefit rules like the two-child limit."
A Government spokesperson said: "Latest figures show there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs compared to 2019/20. But we recognise people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting millions of the most vulnerable families with at least £1,200 of direct payments, starting with the £326 cost of living payment, which has already been issued to more than seven million low income households.
"We're also making work pay. We're saving the typical employee over £330 a year through a tax cut, have boosted the National Living Wage to £9.50, the largest ever increase since its introduction in 2016 and we're allowing people on Universal Credit to keep on average, £1,000 more of what they earn, while all households will receive £400 energy payments.
"Last month we announced the largest public sector pay increases in nearly twenty years, reflecting the vital contributions public sector workers make to our country. Awards for many workforces are targeted, with the lowest paid NHS workers, police officers and new teachers receiving around 9% pay boosts."
Many people have called on the Government to do more. John McCrory of West End Food Bank suggested that policy change was needed, saying: " Local governments aren't in as much of a position to help out as they have lost hundreds of millions of pounds through austerity over the last 12 years and we've heard that repeated time and time again.
"From what I understand, local councils don't have the resources any longer to make a significant impact. Part of the policy change we need is to try and ensure some linkage with the cost of living with benefits like Universal Credit.
"People's standards of living have fallen behind and my own view on that is we don't need a punitive system of support for people, it needs to be support where people are urged to work where they can but if they can't they have enough coming into the household to offer them subsistence, particularly when times are hard."
The number of kids in poverty from key worker households by region
North East - 70,311/41.2%
North West - 174,495/ 29.1%
Yorks & the Humber 47,659/ 11.0%
East Midlands 49,150/ 11.5%
West Midlands 93,156/ 23.5%
East of England 115,563 / 23.6%
London 189,691 / 28.7%
South East 125,848 / 15.5%
South West 43,287 / 11.9%
Wales 22,285 / 8.9%
Scotland 37,005 / 8.3%
Northern Ireland 20,787 / 14.2%
To donate to Newcastle West End Food Bank, click here.
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