In the constituency of Birmingham Ladywood, 58.8% of children were living in relative low income in 2024, new statistics on child poverty show.
Yesterday, the Department for Work & Pensions released a report on Children in low income families. The data shows that in the financial year 2023-24, there were 2.72m children aged 0 to 15 in families in relative low income and 2.34m children in absolute low income families.
Relative low income refers to those living in households with income below 60% of the median in that year, whilst absolute low income refers to people living in households with income below 60% of median income in a base year.
Over the last year, child poverty increased all across the UK, with the exception of Scotland. The percentage of children living in relative low income families was 21.2%, nearly 5% higher than that in 2017.
Polimapper has visualised the new data from the DWP to highlight crosscountry divides in child poverty. Yorkshire and The Humber saw the highest rate (29.4%), followed by the West Midlands at 28.6%.
On a local level, Birmingham Ladywood, Bradford West and Bradford East all registered the highest rates in relative low income, this was over 50%. The constituency of Richmond Park saw the lowest percentages of children in relative (5.1%) and absolute low income (4.3%). Check out the map below to see how your area compares.
About this map
The map below shows rates and numbers of children in absolute and relative low income families per constituency in the financial year ending 2024.
To view statistics in your area double click on the map or click here to launch the full page version!
Geodata context
The data on low income children comes just a day after the government announced cuts to welfare under its Spring Statement. As Labour plans to cut welfare spending in the next 5 years, reports have suggested that over 3m UK households will lose out from benefit cuts. Experts suggest that this will further increase child poverty in the country.
In response to the data, many organisations showed concern towards the future of children in the UK.
Dr Silvia Galandini, domestic poverty lead at Oxfam: “These latest poverty figures are as damning as they are heartbreaking – almost one in three children are living in poverty across the UK. This is before yesterday’s brutal cuts, where the Chancellor chose to remove vital security and safety from those who need it the most instead of taxing the super-rich.
“By the Government’s own admission, at least a quarter of a million more people, 50,000 of them children, will be pushed into poverty because of these political choices. We live in the sixth richest country in the world where billionaires alone saw their wealth soar by £11 billion last year. It is morally repugnant that children, disabled people and carers are the ones who are taking the hit.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary at National Education Union: “[Yesterday’s] figures show how the most vulnerable in our communities are repeatedly being let down. It is a stain on our society that 4.5 million children are growing up in poverty – the highest since records began. This follows yesterday’s devastating welfare cuts, which will push a further 50,000 children into poverty according to the government’s own account. This Labour government is on track to oversee child poverty rates soar.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to publishing a Child Poverty Strategy, for which we have submitted recommendations. To make any headway in reducing poverty, the two-child limit and benefit cap must be scrapped. The government should make sure every child has the best start in life and invest in the next generation with free school meals for all, so that no child is left behind.”
Paul Nowak, General Secretary at Trades Union Congress (TUC): “The Labour government’s Employment Rights Bill will help many working families with sensible changes to improve job security and to make work pay. This should help to reduce in-work poverty in the years ahead.
“But families and children in poverty also need stronger social security support. Cuts to disability benefits are already forecast to push many more families into poverty. Ministers should rethink these plans. They must also bring forward a robust strategy to reduce child poverty.”