The number of South West children growing up in poverty in working households has increased by 35,000 since 2010, according to new TUC analysis published today (Monday).
The analysis – carried out for the TUC by Landman Economics – shows that child poverty in South West working families rose to 215,000 in 2018. That’s an increase of 20% since 2010 when the number stood at 180,000 children.
Government policies account for majority of rise in child poverty
The TUC says that government cuts to in-work benefit cuts have been a key driver behind the increase. Other key factors behind the rise in child poverty are:
The rise in the number of working families hasn’t been enough to lift families out of poverty
Growing up in poverty is becoming the norm for many kids.
Abolishment of child poverty targets
In 2016 the Conservatives abolished the Child Poverty Act and scrapped targets to reduce poverty.
TUC Regional Secretary of the South West Nigel Costley said:
“No child should be growing up in poverty. Yet many parents are struggling to feed and clothe their kids.
“And in parts of the region, growing up in a poor working household is becoming the norm. That’s 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 focused on helping working families, not more tax cuts for wealthy donors and hedge funds.”
To tackle the rise of child poverty, TUC is calling on all political parties to commit to:
Notes to editors:
- Increase in number of children living in poverty with a working parent since 2010
Region |
Number of children in poverty in 2010 |
Number of children in poverty in 2018 |
Extra children in poverty (000s) |
Extra children in poverty (%) |
South West |
179,550 |
215,403 |
35,853 |
20 |
Total |
2,087,334 |
2,880,356 |
793,022 |
38 |
- Proportion of children in working households in poverty
Region |
2010 |
2018 |
South West |
19.7% |
21.4% |
UK |
19.0% |
23.8% |
NOTE ON METHODOLOGY
- Proportion and numbers of children living in child poverty for 2017/18 by local authority and parliamentary constituency can be found in analysis conducted by End Child Poverty: https://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/
Parliamentary Constituency |
Proportion after Housing costs |
No. of children |
Bath |
19% |
3904 |
Bournemouth East |
27% |
5594 |
Bournemouth West |
28% |
7072 |
Bridgwater and West Somerset |
28% |
6498 |
Bristol East |
26% |
7641 |
Bristol North West |
26% |
7260 |
Bristol South |
29% |
8290 |
Bristol West |
29% |
7164 |
Camborne and Redruth |
31% |
6257 |
Central Devon |
25% |
4470 |
Cheltenham |
23% |
5551 |
Chippenham |
23% |
5369 |
Christchurch |
20% |
3056 |
Devizes |
25% |
6576 |
East Devon |
22% |
4236 |
Exeter |
25% |
6871 |
Filton and Bradley Stoke |
21% |
4443 |
Forest of Dean |
25% |
4928 |
Gloucester |
29% |
9371 |
Kingswood |
21% |
4465 |
Mid Dorset and North Poole |
20% |
3607 |
Newton Abbot |
25% |
4879 |
North Cornwall |
32% |
6405 |
North Devon |
28% |
5773 |
North Dorset |
22% |
4775 |
North East Somerset |
19% |
4338 |
North Somerset |
16% |
3623 |
North Swindon |
23% |
6575 |
North Wiltshire |
22% |
4785 |
Plymouth, Moor View |
34% |
7764 |
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport |
35% |
8537 |
Poole |
23% |
4911 |
Salisbury |
23% |
4936 |
Somerton and Frome |
25% |
5948 |
South Dorset |
29% |
5266 |
South East Cornwall |
28% |
4728 |
South Swindon |
27% |
7581 |
South West Devon |
20% |
3718 |
South West Wiltshire |
26% |
6195 |
St Austell and Newquay |
32% |
8041 |
St Ives |
29% |
5342 |
Stroud |
21% |
4889 |
Taunton Deane |
23% |
6288 |
Tewkesbury |
21% |
4504 |
The Cotswolds |
21% |
4519 |
Thornbury and Yate |
20% |
4287 |
Tiverton and Honiton |
25% |
5398 |
Torbay |
31% |
6519 |
Torridge and West Devon |
29% |
5882 |
Totnes |
28% |
5000 |
Truro and Falmouth |
25% |
4538 |
Wells |
22% |
5364 |
West Dorset |
24% |
4693 |
Weston-Super-Mare |
27% |
6604 |
Yeovil |
25% |
6108 |
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