Kids In Poverty: Britain's Shame

In the UK there are currently over four million children living in poverty, the highest number in twenty years. One million are described as being in extreme poverty or destitution, unable to stay fed, clean, dry and warm. 

In this episode of the Tonight programme, Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas calls for free school meals for all UK children, saying for her growing up they were a ‘lifeline’. 

Currently nearly all state primary school children in London, and those in Scotland and Wales get offered the dinners, but it is only children in school up to the age of seven in the rest of England.  They are not universally available in Northern Ireland.  

“It was amazing. I figured out in the queue where I could stand, I got a nice lunch every day… I truly believe that every child should be entitled to at least one hot meal a day,” she said. And if that's via the school system, I feel strongly about that.I feel like the government needs to do more on the whole of the country.” - Shirley Ballas

Shirley grew up in a small council flat on the Leasowe Estate in Wallasey in the 1960s:

 “We didn't have a lot, we didn't. And life now when I look back, I see how tough it was for my mother. But at the time when you're living in it, you don't really realise how tough life can be.”

Shirley’s mum Audrey, now 86, worked several jobs to try and keep food on the table.   

“She was a barmaid at some point, she drove a forklift truck for Cadbury's because she got a pound more, driving a forklift truck than she did if she was just sitting on the cakes.”- Shirley Ballas

The Child Poverty Action Group said while society might have changed a lot in sixty years, sadly children’s experiences of poverty are similar. 

The cost of food has risen 25% in the past two years, and in the parts of England where free school meals are not universally available, if working families on Universal Credit earn more than seven thousand four hundred pounds, their children are not eligible for free school meals. Many schools say it has left them having to pick up the pieces.

Dr Will Baker from Bristol University carried out a study and found schools are now the biggest source of charitable food and household aid for families. 

“About 20% of all primary schools and secondary schools now run a food bank that equates to over 4000 school based food banks. But they're disproportionately located in disadvantaged areas and schools with low income populations. We find child poverty and food insecurity all across the UK and all across England. So it really is a national crisis.”- Dr Will Baker, Bristol University.

Charities argue the two child cap is also one of the biggest policy drivers of child poverty for families - affecting nearly two million children. This is where households cannot claim universal or child tax credit for a third or subsequent child born after April 2017.

It is estimated this financial year, the government will save £2.5 billion from this benefit cap. But, a recent study examined the ‘two child limit’ and found it did not incentivise parents to have fewer children. 

Charities are concerned it is children who are paying the price for this policy:  

“So you can have four Children. but you'll only get the money for the first two. So Children are paying the penalty for being number three or four in a family… It's difficult to explain to those Children why they are not worthy of basic support. The first two are, but the next one isn't.”- Ruth Welford, Assistant Director- Barnardo's

A three year long academic study led by the University of York examined the ‘two child limit’ and found it did not incentivise parents to have fewer children and it was failing children. 

“Children as young as 5,6,7,8 and 9, they're living with the impact of poverty…We had examples of children's shoes hurting. but they weren't telling their parents because they knew that the parents didn't have the money to buy that basic item.”- Professor Ruth Patrick, York University

The government says it wants those on benefits to face the same financial choices about having children as those supporting themselves solely through work.

But Professor Ruth Patrick argues: “The reality is that lots of people, millions of people, are in work and also relying on benefits to help them in particular stages in their life or because the incomes that they get through work are too low.” 

Campaign groups are calling for an ‘essentials guarantee’ brought in for families that rely on Universal Credit to help cover basic costs such as food and household bills. It’s thought that could help lift around 600,000 children out of poverty.

The Government argues they are doing what they can to reduce child poverty. A Government spokesperson said:

There are 1.1 million fewer people living in absolute poverty compared to 2010, including 100,000 children, and our £108bn cost of living support package prevented 1.3 million people falling into poverty in 2022/23 as the country experienced heightened cost of living pressures driven by the war in Ukraine and impact of Covid.

Children are five times less likely to experience poverty if they are living in a household where all adults work compared to those in workless households.

That is why we have reduced the number of children living in workless households by almost 700,000 and are rewarding hard work by raising the National Living Wage and cutting taxes, while our Back to Work Plan with expanded childcare support for parents will help over a million people to find, stay and succeed in work.

HELP AND ADVICE:

If you think a child is in immediate danger, dial 999 or contact your local authority social care department. 

If you need support,  you can also contact the following services: 

• NSPCC

If you are a child and need help you can contact Childline’s 24-hour support service on 0800 1111 or through the website at www.childline.org.uk. Calls are confidential and free. Adults concerned about the wellbeing of a child can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

• Barnardo's You can find information about our work and services on our Website . If you need support from a service or professional, please do not use the contact us form. Search for a service in your local area and speak to them directly about the help and support they may be able to offer. To contact your regional head office find regional contact details here.

• Citizens AdvicePeople can get support by contacting their local Citizens Advice, talking to someone Online , calling Citizens Advice's national phone line (Adviceline (England): 0800 144 8848 Advicelink (Wales): 0800 702 2020) as well as getting specific support with things like applying for Universal Credit or getting help with debt. 

• Shelter 

Anyone who is facing homelessness or at risk of eviction can access expert advice through Shelter’s website: www.shelter.org.uk/get_help

• Samaritans 

If you’re going through a tough time, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone) or email jo@samaritans.org. You can also call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).