UK child poverty hits 3.6 million

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/25/320480/uk-child-poverty-hits-36-million/

 

Around 3.6 million children are currently growing up in relative poverty in Britain, compared to 2 million recorded in 1969, a new study shows.

According to a report seen by The Guardian, child poverty is now a bigger problem than during the 1960s and Britain is at risk of becoming a place where rich and poor children live in separate, parallel worlds.

The report, which will be released by the National Children's Bureau next week to mark the charity’s 50th anniversary, also warned that child poverty in the UK is causing “social apartheid”.

“Our analysis shows that despite some improvements, the inequality and disadvantage suffered by poorer children 50 years ago still persists today,” said Hilary Emery, the charity’s chief executive.

The study’s findings also suggested that the British government’s efforts to fight against childhood poverty had been falling short and “politicians need to be more ambitious”.

Earlier in June, figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed that at least one in six children in Britain lives in relative poverty.

In 2011-12, 2.3 million or 17 percent of UK children were recorded as “living in homes with substantially lower than average income”. The figure rises to 3.5 million or 27 percent when housing costs are deducted from incomes.

Children are considered to be in relative poverty when their families’ income is below 60 percent of the median after housing costs have been factored in.