columnNumber name type timeSeries area
1 localAuthorityAndRegion slashSeparated no -
2 childrenInPoverty numberAndPercent yes constituency
3 foodBankParcelsNumber number yes localAuthority
4 freeSchoolMeals numberAndPercent no localAuthority
5 twoChildLimit numberAndPercent no constituency
6 householdsFuelPovertyNumber number no localAuthority
7 householdsFuelPovertyPercent percent no localAuthority
8 childrenUniversalCreditNumber number no constituency
9 childrenUniversalCreditPercent percent no constituency
10 childrenUniversalCreditDeductionsNumber number no constituency
Intro
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Child hardship where you live
This tool provides data for both your constituency ({data_visualisation~Constituency}) and your council area ({data_visualisation~LocalAuthority}).
Feeling self-conscious in too small uniform. Worried hearing dad trying to sort out the next bill. Making excuses to miss a friend’s birthday...

Not every child and family will have the same experience of financial hardship. But across the UK, children are paying the price of poverty.

Scroll down to see the situation in your area.
Report a bug/give feedback
BigNumber
childrenInPoverty

Figures shown are drawn from the End Child Poverty Coalition local area estimates. This provides an 'After Housing Costs' estimate of the 'relative poverty' rate for children in each constituency. A household is considered to be in 'relative poverty' if their income is below 60% of the median UK household income for that year. 

End Child Poverty data is based on calculations that build on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC Children in Low Income Families dataset, published in March 2024. This DWP dataset estimates the percentage of children living in households with below 60% median income in each local area. These figures draw directly from tax and benefit records, and do not take housing costs into account. The End Child Poverty local area estimates uses this DWP data, alongside information on local rent levels from the Valuation Office Agency and income data from the Understanding Society survey, to compile an After Housing Cost set of child poverty estimates.

Source: End Child Poverty Coalition (June 2024) ‘Child poverty in your area stats 2014/15 - 2022/23’. 

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Number
children
were living in poverty in your constituency in {data_visualisation~latest_year}
(Source: End Child Poverty)
The impact of child poverty

Poverty ruins childhoods and damage’s children’s life chances. There is strong evidence that growing up on a low-income negatively affects children’s outcomes. Children who experience poverty and hardship do worse at school, earn less as adults, suffer poorer physical and mental health and are more likely to need help from a social worker.

The forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy simply cannot succeed without increased government spending. In building the case for action, the government should recognise the long-term benefits to society and the economy of reducing poverty. We estimate that, if the government reduced the child poverty rate by 28% (1.2 million) by 2030, the total policy costs of keeping it at that level for children in 2030 would be £80 billion over their lifetime, but the benefits to society would be worth at least £164 billion through reduced public service demand, higher tax revenues and lower welfare spending.

 

Graph
childrenInPoverty

Figures shown are drawn from the End Child Poverty Coalition local area estimates. This provides an 'After Housing Costs' estimate of the 'relative poverty' rate for children in each constituency. A household is considered to be in 'relative poverty' if their income is below 60% of the median UK household income for that year. 

End Child Poverty data is based on calculations that build on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC Children in Low Income Families dataset, published in March 2024. This DWP dataset estimates the percentage of children living in households with below 60% median income in each local area. These figures draw directly from tax and benefit records, and do not take housing costs into account. The End Child Poverty local area estimates uses this DWP data, alongside information on local rent levels from the Valuation Office Agency and income data from the Understanding Society survey, to compile an After Housing Cost set of child poverty estimates.

Source: End Child Poverty Coalition (June 2024) ‘Child poverty in your area stats 2014/15 - 2022/23’. 

ChildrenAndTimeLineChart
That's {data_visualisation~latest_percent} or {data_visualisation~latest_out_of_30} children in every classroom of 30
living in poverty in {data_visualisation~latest_year}
In your constituency, the percentage of children in poverty {data_visualisation~percent_points_change_earliest_latest} between {data_visualisation~earliest_year} and 2022/23
BigNumber
twoChildLimit
These statistics are provided by the End Child Poverty Coalition, using data obtained from Freedom of Information requests to the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC. Data on affected Universal Credit households in Scottish constituencies has been modelled by Loughborough University, as this was not included in the data provided by the DWP in their FOI response.
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Number
children
in your constituency were affected by the two-child limit in April 2024, that’s {data_visualisation~twoChildLimitPercent} of children.
(Source: End Child Poverty)
What does the two-child limit mean for families?

The harmful two-child limit affects families entitled to Universal Credit who have more than two children. These families are denied a child payment worth up to £3,514 per year for their third and any further children.

With benefits already at low levels, which often fail to cover the essentials, this policy deprives children of much needed income to meet their basic needs.

The two-child limit is one of the biggest drivers of rising child poverty, which is heavily concentrated in larger families. Children with two or more siblings are almost twice as likely to be in poverty than children with just one sibling (44%, compared to 25%).

Introduced in 2017, the two-child limit now affects 1.5 million children. Most of these families are working. Many will have felt they could afford another child, only for their circumstances to change unexpectedly. Scrapping the two-child limit and overall benefit cap would lift almost 600,000 children out of poverty by 2030.

HumanStory

No child should go hungry.

No child should be cold in their own home.

No child should have to go without the essentials.

https://youtu.be/siEmZRbtzlw
Let's be honest, we're in a crisis
Read Jasmine's family's story

Jasmine, 29, is a single-parent to four children. She's had to rely on Universal Credit and Child Maintenance since separating from her children’s father. The high cost of essentials, plus the two-child limit on Universal Credit, are pushing the family into hardship.

“It is such a precarious existence now. My eldest has really picked up that we’re struggling more and asks, ‘Are we going to be OK? How are we going to do this?’ and I just have to say ‘We’ll be fine’.

Food price are skyrocketing - I’m noticing that I’m trying to make money stretch further and it’s just not stretching. When it’s cold in the evenings I try to save money on the gas by wrapping the kids up in double layers in bed, but I’m still just eating through the money on the meter.”

Action for Children were able to support Jasmine to buy school shoes for her children, “It made a massive difference as it meant I avoided being left short for the rest of the month.”

Jasmine feels that lifting the two-child limit would make a huge difference to her family. “I have four children, I don’t get any money for two of them. It’s not that I necessarily expect it – I do not. But would it help? Yes, let’s be honest, we’re in a crisis.

What the government is basically saying is that, especially in families who are on the literal breadline, if they’ve had more than two children they’re expected to just stay in poverty, those children are expected to suffer. It’s nothing to do with the child, it’s not the child’s fault.”

BigNumber
freeSchoolMeals

Data on Free School Meal eligibility is taken from the latest statistical releases from the Department for Education (for England) and the Scottish and Welsh governments. Comparisons should not be made between nations due to eligibility and methodological differences.  

England 
 Source: Department for Education (June 2024) 'Schools, pupils and their characteristics: Academic year 2023/24'

Scotland  
Source: Scottish Government (March 2024) ‘Pupil census 2023 supplementary statistics’

In Scotland, the published data for primary and secondary and schools has been combined to give a total figure for each local authority. The data for primary schools in years P1 to P5 have been excluded, as the Scottish Government has a policy of Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) policy in place for children in those years. The data from special schools has been excluded as children attending these settings are also eligible for UFSM.

Some Scottish local authorities also have additional initiatives in place that extend the provision of FSM to those not eligible under the national criteria. This is not currently reflected in our data, but the areas affected and the specific local policies in place are detailed in the ‘Background Notes’ tab of the original dataset (available at the aforementioned link).  

Wales  
Source: Welsh Government (July 2024) ‘Pupils eligible for free school meals by local authority, region and year: 2023/24’

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Percent
of children
are eligible for free school meals in your council area.
That’s {data_visualisation~freeSchoolMealsNumber} children.
Graph
foodBankParcelsNumber

Food bank statistics are drawn from the Trussell Trust End of Year stats for 2023/24.  
Source: Trussell Trust (April 2024) ‘End of Year Stats 2023/24’.

Figures at the district/borough level have been combined to provide Upper Tier local authority-only counts. Comparisons should not be made between areas. A full methodology note is available at the Trussell Trust website. 

TimeBarChart
{data_visualisation~latest_number} food bank parcels
for children were distributed in your council area by food banks in the Trussell Trust network in 2023/24
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Food bank parcels distributed for children in your council area {data_visualisation~percent_change_previous_latest} in {data_visualisation~latest_year}, compared to 2022/23.
HumanStory

2.6 million children experienced food insecurity in 2023/24. The proportion of children in food insecure households has increased dramatically in recent years, rising from 9% of children in 2020/21 to 18% in 2023/24, almost one in five children. Free school meals ensure children get at least one decent meal a day – but many struggling families aren’t eligible.

https://youtu.be/Cx6V4Bo56Pc
Families are coming in, the guilt they feel…
How Tracy sees families struggling with food insecurity

Every day, Tracy and the staff team at our Worcester Family Hubs ensure families aren't facing hardship alone.

"Families are signposted to us for help by health visitors, schools, local nurseries. About 80% of the referrals that we receive to help families have some element of financial support. Most of these are families who can’t afford food.

We issue food bank vouchers to families. The number of vouchers we give out has increased drastically – around 1000 in the last 12 months. We also work closely with the FairShare to run a little pantry at one of our hubs, twice a month. Families can pick up the food that you don’t get from the food banks – fresh food, vegetables.

Because families can really struggle to prepare a meal from the food-bank parcels alone, the fresh produce makes a big difference. And we’re able to use our pots of funding to provide baby milk, which parents usually can’t get from food banks, which leaves families really struggling.

We work with families of all shapes, sizes and situations - larger families, single parent families, families where parents can't work, but also working families. You might not expect it, but we see families where both parents are working, but by the time they’ve paid their rent and bills, they struggle to afford food.

Emergency food is also a lifeline for families who can’t access benefits due to their visa conditions. If parents are out of work, they have no extra income at all, so for weeks or months they have to rely on the foodbank, FairShare and any help anyone can give them."

BigNumber
householdsFuelPovertyNumber

Data on fuel poverty is taken from the latest statistical releases from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (for England) and the Scottish and Welsh governments.  

Fuel poverty is a devolved policy area and England, Wales and Scotland define and measure it differently. Figures should not be compared between nations.  

England 

Source: BEIS (April 2024) ‘Sub-regional fuel poverty data 2024 (2022 data)’

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator. 
 Under this indicator, a household is considered to be fuel poor if: 

they are living in a property with a fuel poverty energy efficiency rating of band D or below, and when they spend the required amount to heat their home, they are left with a residual income below the official poverty line. 

Scotland 

Source: Scottish Government (May 2023) ‘Scottish House Condition Survey: 2021 Key Findings’

In Scotland, a household is in fuel poverty if: 

in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, total fuel costs necessary for the home are more than 10% of the household's adjusted (i.e. after housing costs) net income; and  

if, after deducting those fuel costs, benefits received for a care need or disability and childcare costs, the household's remaining adjusted net income is insufficient to maintain an acceptable standard of living. 

While more up-to-date stats are available for Scotland as a whole, the local authority breakdown has been suspended due to Covid meaning the 2017-2019 results are the latest available at local authority level. 

Wales 

Source: Welsh Housing Conditions Survey. Local area fuel poverty estimates: April 2017 to March 2018

In Wales, a household is defined as being in fuel poverty if they would have to spend more than 10% of their income on maintaining a satisfactory heating regime. Any household having to spend more than 20% is defined as being in severe fuel poverty. 

While more up-to-date stats are available for Wales as a whole, more recent local authority estimates are not currently available.  

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Number
households
are in fuel poverty in your council area
What is fuel poverty?

Fuel poverty is defined slightly differently in England, Wales and Scotland, but broadly refers to having to spend a significant proportion of your household income on energy costs. In England, the UK government also takes into account the property’s energy efficiency rating.  

Graph
householdsFuelPovertyPercent
region data
East of England 10
East Midlands 15
London 10
North East 11
North West 14
Scotland 24
South East 10
South West 13
Wales 12
West Midlands 20
Yorkshire and The Humber 17

Data on fuel poverty is taken from the latest statistical releases from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (for England) and the Scottish and Welsh governments.  

Fuel poverty is a devolved policy area and England, Wales and Scotland define and measure it differently. Figures should not be compared between nations.  

England 

Source: BEIS (April 2024) ‘Sub-regional fuel poverty data 2024 (2022 data)’

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator. 
 Under this indicator, a household is considered to be fuel poor if: 

they are living in a property with a fuel poverty energy efficiency rating of band D or below, and when they spend the required amount to heat their home, they are left with a residual income below the official poverty line. 

Scotland 

Source: Scottish Government (May 2023) ‘Scottish House Condition Survey: 2021 Key Findings’

In Scotland, a household is in fuel poverty if: 

in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, total fuel costs necessary for the home are more than 10% of the household's adjusted (i.e. after housing costs) net income; and  

if, after deducting those fuel costs, benefits received for a care need or disability and childcare costs, the household's remaining adjusted net income is insufficient to maintain an acceptable standard of living. 

While more up-to-date stats are available for Scotland as a whole, the local authority breakdown has been suspended due to Covid meaning the 2017-2019 results are the latest available at local authority level. 

Wales 

Source: Welsh Housing Conditions Survey. Local area fuel poverty estimates: April 2017 to March 2018

In Wales, a household is defined as being in fuel poverty if they would have to spend more than 10% of their income on maintaining a satisfactory heating regime. Any household having to spend more than 20% is defined as being in severe fuel poverty. 

While more up-to-date stats are available for Wales as a whole, more recent local authority estimates are not currently available.  

Thermometer
That's {data_visualisation~latest_percent} of households
This compares to {data_visualisation~region_value} of households for the whole of {data_visualisation~Region}
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Percentage of households in fuel poverty
HumanStory

Even before energy costs began to skyrocket, millions were already struggling with bills. With more mouths to feed, clothes to wash, and space to heat, families with children are particularly exposed to rising levels of hardship.

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People look at us with disdain, they think we’re scroungers ...
Read Angie's family's story

On top of coping with caring responsibilities and health challenges, mum Angie* faces a constant battle to make ends meet.

Angie is the sole parent and carer for her 13-year-old daughter, Grace*, who often requires round-the-clock care for her additional learning needs and medical conditions.

Angie is also managing her own fibromyalgia and bipolar disorder, and is a survivor of domestic abuse. She struggles to leave the house and cannot work, but she’s not yet been able to access Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Angie says, 'It’s not fair that my daughter should have to miss out. She doesn’t understand the situation – she wants to do so much and I have to say no. It’s heartbreaking.

There’s no real support out there for us. They just say ‘Borrow off your Universal Credit’ - but if you borrow from it, you still have to pay it back, so you’re not going to have that money then. So what do you do?

I had to wait six weeks in the transition from tax credits and income support to Universal Credit - this was right before Christmas. I ended up £700 in debt. I was relying on foodbanks and got some help from Action for Children to get through. They came through with a voucher for us on Christmas Eve, and are helping us get an oven.

I get Carer’s Allowance but that’s taken off my Universal Credit. We also get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Grace. It’s meant to be to cover disability costs, but we have to rely on it for the basics, or else we’d go under.

I end up skipping meals, I won’t eat in the daytime. I’ll have a smaller portion of what I give Grace if I can – beans, cheap fish fingers, cheesy pasta. Luckily Grace gets free lunches at school.'

Angie struggled for months to get her housing provider to fix their broken boiler, but now can’t afford to keep the house warm.

'They set the temperature so high that I can only afford to put it on for half an hour at a time. This shouldn’t be happening - I’ve got a disabled daughter with very low immunity. And I’m sitting at home all day freezing because I daren’t put the heating on. It's just hard.'

* While their names have been changed to protect their identity, their story is real. Stock image used.

BigNumber
childrenUniversalCreditPercent

Data on the proportion of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in work is taken from the Department for Work and Pensions data tables ‘People on Universal Credit’. In January 2025, there were 7.4m people on Universal Credit, of whom 2.7m were in employment.  

Figures for the number of children in Universal Credit households and the proportion of children in UC households affected by deductions were updated in September 2024 via a Freedom of Information request to the DWP. Data is for the month of May 2024. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100, and percentages to the nearest percent.  

Figures for the proportion of children within a constituency that live in a UC household were calculated using population estimates from the ONS (for England and Wales) and the Census 2022 (for Scotland). 

Source: ONS (September 2021) ‘Parliamentary Constituency Mid-Year population estimates June 2022’. 
NRS (2024) 'Scotland's census data, parliamentary constituencies 2024’. 

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Percent
of children
in your constituency are living in households on Universal Credit
CTA
What can I do?
Skip to the end to take action now
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How to fix it

The UK government will soon publish its plan for child poverty. If it makes the right choices, it could lift more than a million children out of poverty by the next Parliament. But without enough ambition and investment, this opportunity will be missed.

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