The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have published their latest annual report on poverty levels in the UK.
It found that one in six children in the UK were living in persistent poverty and spending at least three out of the last four years in poverty.
Almost one in four children
Here on the Isle of Wight Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures from the first year of the pandemic showed 4,866 under 16-year-olds were living in families with low income on the Isle of Wight.
That’s an estimated 22.2 per cent — almost one in four children.
Shreeve: Scale of hardship inflicted worsening
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, said,
“This annual report describes 2023 as ‘a moment of profound challenge …after a long period of persistently high poverty rates and increasing levels of deep poverty’.
“Every year worsening figures detail the scale of hardship inflicted on children and their families.
“Support staff and teachers see this first-hand.”
No meaningful improvements in living standards for a decade
Mr Shreeve commented,
“Support staff and teachers see how poverty impacts on children’s education, affecting their ability to concentrate in school and fulfil their potential.
“The report explains: ‘For a decade and a half we have seen no meaningful improvements in living standards, especially for people on lower incomes.’
“Indeed, poverty goes almost unchallenged and has increased tragically, while recent successive governments have made little or no positive impact. This political inaction must change.”
Shreeve: Help put money back into families’ pockets
He finished by saying,
“A righteous start would be for the Government to offer free school meals to all primary school children to ensure that no child is left behind and help put money back into families’ pockets.”
Image: For illustrative purposes only – usdagov under CC BY 2.0
