Today the End Child Poverty coalition released new statistics showing the extent of child poverty across the UK broken down by constituency, Local Authority and ward.

The new figures reveal that there are now constituencies within the UK where more than half of children are growing up in poverty - compared to one in ten, in the areas with the lowest child poverty rates and it is Bethnal Green and Bow that has the higested rate of child poverty in the UK with 54.18% of children living in poverty.

 Rushanara Ali MP for Bethnal Green and Bow said: 

 “New figures released today reveal that my constituency Bethnal Green and Bow has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK. It is a disgrace that over half of the children in Bethnal Green and Bow are living in poverty. The causes of child poverty are multiple and complex. They are anchored in structural inequality in our economy, high housing costs, changes in the labour market, benefit changes and a range of other factors.”

“There is no single answer to reducing child poverty, but without urgent government action to reduce the cost of housing, provide additional support to those in low paid work along with providing affordable, flexible and high-quality childcare, child poverty will continue to remain stubbornly high.” 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
1) For further information or comment please contact Rushanara Ali MP’s Office on 020 7219 7200 or email [email protected]

2) You can find more information on Rushanara’s work in Parliament here:

3) You can read End Child Poverty's report here