A shocking rise in child poverty has been recorded in North East after major increases in the number of children growing up poor in parts of the region.
The new statistics released by the End Child Poverty Coalition show that the North East is the only region to see an increase in child poverty in the last year, while Newcastle and Gateshead have seen the biggest rises of any parts of the UK since 2014. Politicians and campaigners - including the Bishop of Durham - have called for action after the proportion of children in the North East growing up in poverty rose to 38%.
The figure is even higher in Newcastle, having risen from 28.4% in 2014/5 to 42.4% in the latest figures. Other areas with high rates of child poverty include Sunderland (39.7%), South Tyneside (39.1%) and Gateshead (38.6%).
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And though the new figures show that the progress in reducing North East child poverty in the early part of the century has now been all but wiped out, there are fears that the situation has already got worse, as the new figures include the temporary £20 uplift in Universal Credit that has since been withdrawn.
Anna Turley, chair of the North East Child Poverty Commission, said: “These new figures are deeply alarming. Rather than being levelled up, it’s clear that inequalities for children and young people across the North East are widening even further – and this must surely act as a serious wake-up call for both the current and incoming Government about the scale and urgency of the child poverty crisis we face.
“Sadly, this research will come as no surprise to the many hundreds of organisations working tirelessly across our region to help families keep their heads above water, with all reporting even worse levels of hardship as people – both in and out of work – now grapple with the soaring cost of living. The single most important step the Government could take to improve the lives and opportunities of children across our region is to commit to a clear plan – backed up with decisive action – to tackle child poverty. Babies, children and young people here in the North East deserve so much better than this, and they don’t have time to wait.”
She was backed by the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, who last week called in the House of Lords for the Government’s two-child limit on Universal Credit to be abolished as a way of alleviating poverty levels.
He said: “We all want a North East in which every child is valued, is able to thrive and is supported to reach their potential – but today’s new research shows we are now even further away from achieving that ambition than we were before. Cruel and unfair policies like the two-child limit are resulting only in growing numbers of families going without the basics – which means children across our region are having their life chances restricted and childhoods damaged from the moment they are born.
“This is not right in a compassionate and just society like ours – and the Government must act urgently to reverse this situation, which should be of profound concern for all of us in the North East.”
The End Child Poverty coalition has called on the Government to amend a number of regulations around Universal Credit payments, improve access to affordable childcare and extend free school meals to all families receiving Universal Credit.
The Journal has contacted the six Conservative MPs in Northumberland and County Durham to ask for their reaction to the new figures but has had not a response.
Newcastle sees fastest rise in child poverty levels
Newcastle’s MPs have hit out after the city saw the largest rise in child poverty in the last few years. The proportion of children living in poverty in the city rose from 28.4% in 2014/5 to 42.4% seven years later. In the Newcastle Central constituency, that figure rose to 47.8%.
Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell said: “Growing up in poverty directly impacts a child’s health, wellbeing, education and future earnings. It is an absolute scandal that the rates of child poverty are rising and that children in Newcastle are being denied a fair chance in life.
“I have repeatedly called for the Government to develop a coherent and joined-up strategy to address child poverty. These figures show that the successes of the last Labour Government’s Treasury-led, cross-departmental approach to ending child poverty has been completely abandoned.
“All the talk about levelling up is meaningless if we continue to see the number of children living in poverty increase. Twelve years of Conservative Governments have seen us go backwards in addressing this fundamental issue.”
And Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah said: “In the middle of a cost of living crisis, the Government is paralysed and it’s children that are paying the price. And these figures show that these problems are not recent, years of Tory cuts to services, welfare as well as a failure to deliver economic growth and jobs across the country are hitting people in Newcastle hard.
“The solution is not more austerity and un-costed tax cuts like the Tory leadership hopefuls are promising, it’s a Labour government that prioritises economic growth and tackling child poverty.”
Newcastle East MP Nick Brown said: "Newcastle East has been particularly badly hit by dramatic increases in real and relative child poverty. The cut in child benefit and the lack of paid employment opportunities for the East Tyne riverside community are the principle causes.
"I have a meeting with a government Minister of State this Wednesday to press again for specific infrastructure investment to facilitate quality jobs on the river. My job is to stand up for East Newcastle and therefore to keep trying.”
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