LONDON, 27 March, 2025 - Statement in response to the HBAI (Households Below Average Income) child poverty figures which show a record 4.5 million children are now living in poverty in the UK, increase of 200,000
Dan Paskins, executive director of policy, advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children, said:
“These figures are a source of national shame. The rise in child poverty to 4.5 million - the highest figure on record - is a direct consequence of political choices. Ministers may have inherited these figures from past UK Governments, but they must now take immediate action to ensure more children do not fall into poverty next year. If they don’t, this could be the first Labour Government that oversees a significant rise in child poverty – a record no one wants.
“The two-child limit and benefit cap must be scrapped, and child related benefits locked to rise in line with wages or average earnings, whichever of the two is higher. UK ministers should take this as a clear warning sign that they need to invest in social security and ensure all children across the country are guaranteed a childhood without limits.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- 2023/24 – 4.5 m children live in relative poverty after housing costs
- This is 200,000 more than last year (4.3million 2022/23)
- 48% children in poverty live in a household where the youngest child is aged between 0-4
- 72% of children in poverty live in a household where someone is in work
- 34% children in poverty live in a lone parent household
- 49% children in poverty live in a household with 3 or more children – affected by the sibling tax (two-child limit)
- 44% children in poverty live in a household where someone is disabled
Ethnicity breakdown: (children in households headed by someone from an ethnic minority background)
- 65% children of Bangladeshi heritage are in poverty
- 59% children of Pakistani heritage are in poverty
- 49% children of Black / African / Caribbean / Black British heritage are in poverty/
Compared with 24% White children.
- These figures come after the UK Government revealed that 50,000 more children will be in poverty as a result of the cuts to health and disability benefits.
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e3fbe29c9de963bc39b4b5/spring-statement-2025-health-and-disability-benefit-reforms-equality-analysis.pdf
- Poverty rates since 1961:
- Poverty rates were between 12-17% under Wilson, Heath & Callaghan
- Wilson 64-70: 13% in 1964 & 14% in 1970
- Wilson 74-76 16% (stabilized)
- Callaghan 76-79 16th in 76, 14% in 79
- Under Margaret Thatcher, the rate of poverty rose rapidly from 14% in 1979 to 31% in 1990
- At the end of Major premiership, the child poverty rate was 34%
- Under Blair and Brown there was a reduction, and child poverty has (on the whole) risen since then.
- From 34% in 1998 to 27% in 2010
- Since 2010, child poverty has risen from 27% to 30% in 2022/23
- XX in 2023/24
- https://ifs.org.uk/living-standards-poverty-and-inequality-uk#income-poverty