The University of Glasgow study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, has mapped the potential impact of child poverty reduction measures on social and health inequality in England from this year until 2033.
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The study found that infant mortality numbers could be reduced by 293 compared to 2023’s level and the number of children being taken into care cut by 4,696.
In addition, 32,650 emergency admissions to hospital could be prevented and the number of children attending hospital with iron deficiency could fall by 458.
Northern regions would benefit the most from child poverty tackling measures, say the academics, whose research is based on improved outcomes achieved for children through the previous Labour government's policies on reducing poverty between 1997 and 2010.
Examples of measures to be taken to tackle child poverty include removing the two-child limit and benefit cap, they suggest.
“This would likely improve child health, particularly among the most socioeconomically disadvantaged and ‘level up’ regional inequalities,” states their study.
They point out that child poverty is “a key determinant of population health and health inequalities” and that government policy “exerts a major influence over rates of child poverty” such as through social spending.
Since the 2008 global financial crash, European countries with higher social spending have had lower rates of child poverty, says their research.
“Whereas countries such as the UK that have enacted high levels of austerity following the crisis - including retrenchment of social spending and local government budgets - have exhibited worse trends in child health outcomes,” states the study.
It adds: “These reductions would likely translate into significant savings for, and relieve pressure on, local authorities (in relation to children looked after) and health services.
“Benefits are likely to be greatest in the most disadvantaged areas, helping efforts to ‘level up’. Other health impacts that we have not been able to quantify are also likely.”
The academics understand that this is the first study “to explore the potential impacts of future child poverty reductions on a range of child health outcomes in England”.
