Child poverty on the rise across the region

NEARLY TWO OUT OF THREE CHILDREN LIVING BELOW THE BREADLINE IN ONE WARD

- DAVID DUBAS-FISHER and LIAM THORP

ALMOST two thirds of children are living in poverty in Liverpool's most deprived neighbourhood.

Across Merseyside, a total of 68,993 children aged from birth to 15 were living in poverty in the year ending March 2024 the last full year under the Conservative government - according to the latest figures from the DWP. That's up from 66,939 a year earlier and works out as more than a quarter (27%) of children in the region.

However, the situation is much more desperate for children in some parts of Merseyside than others. In the Picton ward of Liverpool almost two out of every three children (63%) were living in poverty, a total of 2,262 kids.

In the Princes Park area of Liverpool, some 55% of children were living below the breadline, while in Kensington and Fairfield it was 51%.

Across the UK, a total of 4.5 million children were living in poverty in the year ending March 2024 according to the latest figures from the DWP.