4 days Ago
A recent report has shown that child poverty in the UK is increasing at an alarming rate. The Department of Work and Pensions revealed statistics showing that in 2024, more than 200,000 children were recorded to be living in poor conditions. The total number of recorded children living in poverty has surpassed 4.
5 million in the UK. In March 2024, the Advertiser reported that around 8000 children were living in poverty at a rate of every one in six in desperate conditions. Sharon Robinson, the Major Officer at The Salvation Army Citadel in Swindon spoke about the local situation.
She said: "A perfect example would be that we ordered out three food packages in one day this week, which is not something we are used to. "We have people come in who are desperate because they have to make tough financial decisions. "They have to decide whether to pay the expensive council tax fee or to feed their children, and with the cost of everything going up, those decisions are going to become even harder.
"Sadly, I think it is only going to get worst." Swindon Borough Council's Children and Young People's Heath Needs assessment shed some light on the current climate in the town. The report states that one-parent households account for a disproportionately high percentage of Swindon’s children living in absolute and relative poverty (44.
6% and 46.6% respectively). A further indicator of childhood poverty is the number of children accessing food banks.
Food banks are organisations which distribute food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough to avoid hunger. They are also able to provide household cleaning products and toiletries. The assessment also presented the areas in Swindon that have high levels of deprivation, with places such as Gorse Hill and Penhill areas.
Lower deprived areas include places such as Haydon Wick, Old Town and most notable Ridgeway which covers a large part of the Swindon area. Margaret O'Reilly, a spokesperson for Barnardo's South West spoke about the fight that they are taking on to improve the region in the country. She said: "Barnardo’s has been campaigning strongly around poverty in recent months and our policy team has been pressing the Government to end the two child benefit limit which we believe is pushing thousands of children into poverty.
"We are also campaigning for free school meals in all English primary schools. "More than one in five parents in the South West surveyed for the charity Barnardo’s say they have struggled to afford enough food for their children during the last 12 months. "A survey released by the children’s charity in September 2024 shows that 22% of parents with children aged 18 and under struggled to afford sufficient food for their families, with 49% taking measures to reduce their food bills.
".
