Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Child Poverty in the North

03 May 2023 · 3 other contributors · 8,582 words

Opened by Emma Lewell Lab South Shields

Responding minister: Mims Davies

EconomyBenefits & WelfareChildren & Families

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Emma Lewell raised concerns about child poverty in the north in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The lead MP is concerned about the high rate of child poverty in South Shields, where over 42% of children live in poverty.
  • The MP highlights that malnutrition and Victorian diseases like scurvy and rickets have resurfaced due to poverty, affecting children's development and health.
  • The MP asks the government to raise social security in line with inflation and to take several other measures to improve child welfare and living conditions.

Key requests to Government

The lead MP asks the government to raise social security in line with inflation at the earliest opportunity, scrap the two-child benefit limit, pause universal credit sanctions for families with children, increase child benefits, extend free school meal eligibility, and improve energy efficiency in rented homes. She also suggests that policies alone will not be enough; a proper welfare safety net is required to ensure people have enough to live on.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Emma Lewell Lab South Shields

The lead MP is concerned about the high and rising rate of child poverty in the north, particularly in South Shields where over 42% of children are living in poverty. She highlights that nutrition affects cognitive development, leading to developmental impairment, language delays, motor skills delays, and psychological impacts such as withdrawn and aggressive behaviors. Pre-pandemic, there were rising numbers of hospital admissions due to malnutrition and a resurgence of Victorian diseases like scurvy and rickets. The report found 34% living in poverty compared with 28% in the rest of England during the pandemic. Additionally, nearly 100,000 homes in the north had some form of damp before the cost of living crisis.

Other contributors (3)
  • Karen Buck Lab Westminster North

    She highlighted that child poverty is a major problem in every region, particularly the north-east where it increased by 11 percentage points before the pandemic. She noted that 37% of children in the north-east were living in poverty after housing costs and cited statistics from the Institute for Fiscal Studies indicating greater regional disparities compared to other countries. Karen Buck emphasized that tackling child poverty requires long-term action across various government functions, rather than just levelling-up funding.

  • Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

    Ms Twist highlighted the high rates of child poverty in the north-east, noting that almost two in five children in her region are living in poverty. She detailed how families struggle with the cost of living, using examples like watered-down evaporated milk due to soaring prices and delays in weaning because of food costs. Ms Twist also mentioned a 50% year-on-year increase in emergency food parcels distributed by the Trussell Trust in her region and noted that universal credit deductions collectively lose local families £111,000 per month. Liz Twist highlighted the issue of people working but still struggling to make ends meet in the north-east, asking what the Government planned to do to address this problem. She also intervened again to question the long-term solution outside the cost of living crisis.

  • Mary Robinson Con Bury St Edmunds

    Mary Robinson highlighted the report 'Child Poverty and the Cost of Living Crisis' published by the APPG for the child of the north, which calls attention to the hardships felt by children in the North of England. She noted that local authorities in the North East, the North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber are considered 'the most vulnerable' to the cost of living crisis across England. Robinson stressed the importance of addressing educational disparity as a key to levelling up in the long term.

Government Response

Mims Davies

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I thank the hon. Member for South Shields (Mrs Lewell-Buck) for securing this debate. I absolutely agree with the early sentiments and spirit of unity in her speech and speeches from across this Chamber. The Government's approach to welfare recognises the value and importance of work and is committed to helping people progress and be supported in work, while also protecting and supporting the most vulnerable in society. Since 2019-20, we have spent around £36 billion through the household support fund in Great Britain, including £35 million allocated for free breakfasts for children in disadvantaged areas; an investment of £200 million a year into holiday activities and food programme (HAF); and a focus on childcare. We are determined to ensure that people will be able to prevail in every area of the UK with targeted support for the most vulnerable, especially parents struggling to make ends meet. The Government's decisive action is reflected in providing total support worth £94 billion to help people with rising bills, including cost of living payments of up to £650 to over 8 million low-income households last year and additional payments of up to £900 this year.

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