Midlands areas named among child poverty hotspots
A number of Midlands areas have been named among the UK's child poverty hotspots.
A total of 4.5 million children 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.
A new interactive map (below) allows people to check rates in their postcode. Areas coloured in darker purple have higher deprivation levels.
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The Birmingham areas of Bordesley Green and Heartlands were third and fourth on the national list, with seven in 10 kids living in poverty.
Figures showed more evidence of the north/south divide, with the 20 worst affected areas all in the north of England and Birmingham.
Taking a closer look at the map, a number of the worst-hit areas can be seen in east and south east Birmingham, as well as Aston.
Struggling areas include Ward End; Tyseley and Hay Mills; and Bromford and Hodge Hill.
Parts of Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton also have around half of children living in poverty.
It comes amid the continued row over the two-child benefit cap, labelled by critics as "cruel" amid claims it is responsible for deepening child poverty.
Under the cap, parents can only claim Universal Credit and tax credits for their first two children.
As poorer families tend to be bigger, this policy hits those struggling the most.
Pressure is continuing on the Labour Government to scrap the cap.
Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK and chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition, said: 'Scrapping the two-child limit is a crucial first step to address rising child poverty across the UK.
'By doing this the Government could also see a boost to local economies, targeting some of the most deprived areas of the country.
'We don't want to see another year of families suffering as a result of the two-child limit.
"The Government must scrap this policy as part of their soon to be published strategy to tackle child poverty."
A Government spokesperson said: 'No child should be in poverty – that's why our ministerial taskforce is developing an ambitious strategy to give every child the best start in life as part of our Plan for Change.
'Alongside delivering on our Get Britain Working reforms to support people into good jobs and make everyone better off, we have increased the Living Wage, uprated benefits and are supporting 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions to help low-income households.'
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