Child poverty has skyrocketed by more than half a million in just five years as Britain prepares to face Brexit.
In fact, this has been a trend that harks back even longer, with levels steadily increasing since 2011/12, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), who released their State of the Union report today (December 4).
That means that 4.1 million children currently live in poverty with the vast majority in working families. UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights Philip Alston commented that the levels are “staggering” in the interim report he delivered last month.
New @jrf_uk report finds over 1 in 5 of UK population are living in poverty & in-work poverty among parents is rising.
Good health is a social & economic asset, with poverty negatively affecting health in multiple direct & indirect ways #solveukpoverty https://t.co/OKQZbmlpWu— The Health Foundation (@HealthFdn) December 4, 2018
Overall, 14.3 million people living below the breadline – more than a fifth of the UK population – accounting for 8.2 million working-age adults and 1.9 million pensioners as well as the aforementioned number of children.
In-work poverty has been rising faster than employment – figures that the government has been particularly proud of. The JRF lay the blame for that at dead-end low-paid jobs with little hope of progressions, citing hotel, bars, restaurants and retail work as the worst offenders.