One in five households where adults are classed as “key” workers has children living in poverty, according to new research. The TUC said its study suggests that the number of children growing up in poverty in key worker households has increased by 65,000 over the past two years to nearly one million.
The analysis, undertaken for the TUC by Landman Economics, indicated that in some regions of the UK more than two-fifths of children in key worker households are living in poverty. Key worker families in the North East have the highest rate of child poverty (41%) followed by the North West and London (both 29%), and the East of England (24%), while Scotland (8.3%) and Wales (8.9%) have the lowest rates, said the TUC.
The union organisation warned that another year of below-inflation pay rises for public sector workers will have a “devastating” impact on frontline staff after a “brutal decade” of pay freezes and cuts. The TUC said its research indicates that real pay for nurses will be down by £1,100 this year and by more than £1,500 for paramedics.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Our amazing key workers got us through the pandemic. The very least they deserve is to be able to provide for their families, but the Government is locking too many key worker households into poverty."
Sara Ogilvie, policy director at the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “These disastrous figures show the growing grip of in-work poverty on households across Britain. It’s an outrage that key workers, whose essential labour keeps our hospitals, schools and supermarkets running, are increasingly being pulled into hardship."
Royal College of Nursing general secretary Pat Cullen said: “The reason that some children of nursing staff are living in poverty is because their parents aren’t paid enough. After a decade of real-terms pay cuts, including the Government’s latest, disgraceful award, nursing staff are choosing between putting food on the table and filling their cars."
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."
Dr Paul Gosling, president of school leaders’ union NAHT and primary headteacher in Devon, said: “At no point in my 30-year career of working in schools have I seen the number of families being pushed into poverty as they currently are. This national cost of living crisis is crippling so many hard-working people and the Government needs to take some serious and immediate action to support people."
Paul Whiteman, NAHT’s general secretary, said: “Our members have described the rise in poverty in their schools’ communities over the past year as ‘shocking and stark’. Children who are hungry are not ready to learn."
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