CYP Now - Midlands and northern cities see spike in child poverty rates

The Midlands region and northern towns and cities have seen the sharpest increase in child poverty in England over the last four years, research has revealed.

Middlesborough saw the highest rise in child poverty rates between 2014/15 and 2018/19. Picture: Adobe Stock

Nationally the child poverty rate after housing costs has risen by two percentage points from 28 per cent in 2014/15 to 30 per cent in 2018/19.

But in the area with the highest rise in child poverty, Middlesbrough, the rise has been 16 percentage points over the same period. In the town almost half of children (47.2 per cent) are living in poverty after housing costs.

Meanwhile, Birmingham Hodge Hill has seen a rise of 13.4 percentage points and more than half of children (53.8 per cent) in the areas are living in child poverty. The majority of children (54.5 per cent) in Birmingham Ladywood are living in poverty after housing costs, the research found.

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