- Number of children living below the breadline – despite being in a working family – has increased by 38% since decade began
- London, East of England and West Midlands have suffered biggest increases
- Government policies have driven majority of rise, says TUC
The number of children growing up in poverty in working households has risen by 800,000 since 2010, according to new TUC analysis published today.
The analysis reveals that child poverty in working families rose to 2.9 million in 2018 – an increase of 38% since the start of the decade.
In 2010, 1 in 5 (19%) children in working households were growing up in poverty. In 2018 this had increased to 1 in 4 (24%).
The analysis shows that Westminster government policies account for the majority of the increase in-work poverty. More than 485,000 children (in working households) have been pushed below the breadline as a direct result of the government’s in-work benefit cuts.
The TUC says that other key factors behind the rise in child poverty are:
- Weak wage growth
- The spread of insecure work
- Population growth
- The rise in the number of working households hasn’t been enough to lift families out of poverty.
London has suffered the biggest increase in child poverty (+68%) among working families followed by the West Midlands (+56%) and East England (+56%).
In 2016 the Conservatives abolished the Child Poverty Act and scrapped targets to reduce poverty.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “No child in Britain should be growing up in poverty. But millions of parents are struggling to feed and clothe their kids. That is not right.
“The Conservatives’ cuts to in-work benefits have come at a terrible human cost. As too has their failure to tackle insecure work and get wages rising across the economy.
“We need a government that puts working families first, not wealthy donors and hedge funds.”
The TUC is calling on all political parties to:
- Raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour
- Stop and scrap Universal Credit
- Ban zero-hours contracts
- Give workers new rights to join unions and bargain for better pay and conditions across industries
Increase in number of children living in poverty in working households since 2010 (nation/region)
| Region | Number of children in poverty in 2010 | Number of children in poverty in 2018 | Extra children in poverty (000s) | Extra children in poverty (%) |
| North East | 71,362 | 108,775 | 37,413 | 52 |
| North West | 241,300 | 335,190 | 93,890 | 39 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 206,827 | 217,571 | 10,744 | 5 |
| East Midlands | 124,690 | 184,085 | 59,395 | 48 |
| West Midlands | 191,504 | 299,510 | 108,006 | 56 |
| Eastern England | 171,637 | 268,516 | 96,879 | 56 |
| London | 362,448 | 609,002 | 246,554 | 68 |
| South East | 248,435 | 340,996 | 92,561 | 37 |
| South West | 179,550 | 215,403 | 35,853 | 20 |
| Wales | 124,102 | 119,693 | -4,409 | -4 |
| Scotland | 112,075 | 121,925 | 9,850 | 9 |
| Northern Ireland | 53,404 | 59,690 | 6,286 | 12 |
| UK total | 2,087,334 | 2,880,356 | 793,022 | 38 |
Source: Landman Economics Analysis and modelling for the TUC
Proportion of children in poverty in working households
| Region | 2010 (%) | 2018 (%) |
| North East | 17.3 | 25.5 |
| North West | 20.2 | 25.3 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 22.7 | 22.0 |
| East Midlands | 15.5 | 21.1 |
| West Midlands | 19.9 | 27.9 |
| Eastern England | 15.8 | 22.7 |
| London | 25.9 | 33.9 |
| South East | 15.5 | 20.0 |
| South West | 19.7 | 21.4 |
| Wales | 24.6 | 22.0 |
| Scotland | 13.3 | 15.1 |
| Northern Ireland | 15.2 | 15.7 |
| UK total | 19.0 | 23.8 |
Source: TUC analysis of HBAI data
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