Nursery World - Dr Rebecca Montacute: Families need a bigger safety net

The benefits system needs to reach more families and be raised in line with inflation sooner in order to avoid children going cold and hungry, says Dr Rebecca Montecute of the Sutton Trust

Dr Rebecca Montacute: 'Keeping all our country's children warm and fed should be an absolute minimum'

The cost-of-living crisis has been making headlines for months, with rising prices and many families struggling to make their incomes stretch. But how is the crisis impacting children's educations?

Recent research by the Sutton Trust has uncovered the shocking impacts being seen in schools, with growing numbers of hungry, cold and tired pupils.

In state schools, 74 per cent of teachers have seen an increase in pupils unable to concentrate or tired in class, 67 per cent have more students with behaviour issues, and 54 per cent have seen an increase in those coming into school without adequate winter clothing, like a coat. Thirty-eight per cent of teachers reported an increase in children coming into school hungry.

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