Over one million babies and young children are living in poverty - report

The findings taken from a national survey of 1,400 families with children under five facing financial hardship are published in a new report, It Takes a Village, which explores the rates, persistence and depth of poverty in UK families.

The report highlights how many children in poverty are from working families who are impacted by the cost of childcare and/or the recent cut to universal credit. It also reveals a ‘postcode lottery’ of free services for families such as play spaces and local activities and how Little Village’s baby banks across London are helping those families who access them.

Key findings include:

• The North-East has the highest poverty rates among families with a child under five.
• London has the largest number of children of all ages living in poverty, and children are living in deeper poverty.
• 67 per cent said the cost of childcare stops them from being able to work or doing the job they want to do.
• 27 per cent said they had left a training or educational course due to a lack of suitable childcare.

One survey respondent said, ‘In order to go back to work you need to be able to pay for childcare, however for an average or low-income this is impossible as any disposable income pays for this. It's an impossible situation as people who work pay for childcare and can't afford to live, people who don't work can't afford to live. It's a vicious cycle, my daughter is only nine months old and I have constant anxiety about how I can afford to live with my maternity pay coming to an end. My partner has mental health issues so his income is erratic, but this means we cannot claim universal credit and are completely stuck.’

The report makes a number of recommendations such as: affordable childcare for all families; for local authorities, with the support of Government, to reinvest in children’s centres; for the two-child benefits cap to be abolished and the child element of universal credit to be increased.

It comes after prime minister Boris Johnson said he plans to look at ways to reduce childcare costs, which could include changing staff to child ratios.

'Behind the numbers there are young children with no space to crawl and play'

Chief executive of Little Village Sophie Livingstone said, ‘This new report highlights the appalling scale and depth of poverty faced by over a million babies and young children across the country. The figures are shocking but behind the numbers there are young children with no space to crawl and play; families unable to feed their children three regular meals each day; babies sleeping on the floor because their families are unable to afford a cot.

‘It is utterly shocking that so many young children are living in poverty in the UK, one of the richest nations on earth. A combination of factors including rising living costs, soaring energy bills, extortionate childcare costs and benefits cuts look set to create the worst year on record for families trapped in poverty.

‘Little Village, and baby banks like ours across the country, will continue to support families when they need it most. But fundamental political and societal changes are needed if we are to see this situation improving. Top of our list is affordable childcare for all, the crippling cost of early years childcare continues to trap parents in poverty right at the time when they most need support.’

• The report is available to view here