Distressing news today from the Save the Children Charity about the nature and extent of child poverty across the UK.

Their research indicates that In 29 local authorities across the country more than one in five children lives in severe poverty. Several London Boroughs feature in the list of the worst affected areas and our local authorities of Enfield and Haringey each show 22% of local children growing up in households that experience both low incomes and material deprivation.

Save the Children believe their combined measure gives a fuller picture of poverty by using both the measure of households below average income and those unable to afford basic necessities - as the report says:

Children in severe poverty are missing out on things like school trips and hobbies,
hitting their educational and social development and leaving them excluded
from society. Parents in severe poverty are managing very tight budgets
and don’t have enough money for things like household contents insurance,
repairing a broken refrigerator or washing machine or saving just a small
amount each month for emergencies or a birthday.

Its sobering stuff - we are all reminded daily on the news that we're having to tighten our belts - but what makes this data more chilling is the fact that the impact of welfare cuts VAT increases and the large number of public sector redundancies at the end of March have yet to make their mark. Things will get even worse.

Further data analysis shows the particular impact local authority funding cuts from April will have on the areas experinecing the worst poverty levels see the map below from www.spatialanalysis.co.uk Haringey is particularly badly affected by a poor settlement from central government; local children are far worse off than their neighbours only a short bus ride away into Barnet. 

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