A new report published by the Child of the North initiative shows that the two-child benefit cap is pushing 109 families a day into hardship.
Addressing Poverty Update: UK Children Dying through Poverty is the second updated report to be released as part of the Child of the North’s #ChildrenFirst campaign. Child of the North is a collaboration between the N8 Research Partnership, including the University of Leeds, Health Equity North and the Centre for Young Lives think tank.
The report also shows that children living in the most disadvantaged areas are more likely to die in intensive care, while the number of children living in poverty is projected to rise by 300,000 to 4.8m by 2029.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams, Chair in Cognitive Psychology in the School of Psychology at the University of Leeds, who edited the report series, said: “This report lays bare the stark and shameful reality that children in the UK are dying because of poverty. It is simply unacceptable that a child’s postcode determines their chances of survival, health and opportunity. The evidence is clear that the two-child limit and other political choices are driving more disadvantaged families into hardship every day.
“But the evidence shows that change is possible. If we act with urgency and compassion, we can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, support schools to become engines of opportunity and ensure that every child has the chance to live a healthy, fulfilling life. The cost of inaction is measured in children’s lives – and a child’s death is too high a price to pay.”
Liz Todd, Professor of Educational Inclusion at Newcastle University, who co-authored the report, said: “What is absolutely vital is that we see government action now on child poverty. Schools and charities are all doing so much to lessen the impact of poverty on children’s lives – and our research shows even more is possible especially if children are involved in solutions.
“But it’s very discouraging to keep seeing what we see every day and at the same time knowing that removing the two child limit will at a stroke bring thousands of children out of poverty. And setting targets will be a rallying call for everyone.”
