Nursery World - Nearly one in five children going without warmth and fresh food

Around 2.6 million children are living in material deprivation, going without warmth and fresh food and unable to celebrate Christmas.

The research by Action for Children finds 1.5 million children under the age of 10 are living in material deprivation, PHOTO: Action for Children

New analysis by Action for Children finds that of the 2.6 million children living in material deprivation, more than half, 1.5 million, are under the age of 10.

Carried out in partnership with NatCen, the analysis is based upon official Government data on children living in material deprivation, collected before the worst of the cost of living crisis and energy price increase.

According to the charity’s frontline workers, pressure on struggling families is worse than last Christmas and parents are being forced to make ‘desperate’ choices.

It comes as Action for Children launches its annual Secret Santa campaign to help the country’s most vulnerable children.

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