Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of child poverty.

The latest statistics show that in 2022/23 there were 4.3 million children (30%) in relative low income after housing costs.

Statistics on the number of children living in absolute and relative poverty in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication at Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). The latest available data can also be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. The latest statistics published on 21 March 2024 are for the financial period 2022/23.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025.

Our publication on 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we will develop the Strategy, harnessing all available levers to deliver a reduction in child poverty this Parliament.

The Strategy will look at policies across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

The Strategy is building on a wealth of existing evidence and expertise from all relevant Departments, as is reflected in the broad membership of the Ministerial Taskforce. Ministers are also committed to leading discussions across all UK nations and regions.

The Taskforce will listen to experts and campaigners, engaging with charities, campaigners and leading organisations across the UK to shape and inform these plans, including hearing directly from families across the UK to gather insight.