Child poverty could be worse than figures reveal, says Labour's Jim Grant

Statistics from the End Child Poverty coalition reveal that across Swindon a quarter of children are living in poverty.

Penhill has the highest level with 42 per cent of all children coping with hardship.

And ECP identifies Gorsehill and Pinehurst as having the second highest levels of child deprivation in North Swindon, with 31 per cent of children living in poverty.

And in South Swindon, Parks is home to 40 per cent of children growing up in poverty. In Walcot 37 per cent fall into this category.

But the leader of the Swindon Labour Group Councillor Jim Grant said: “These figures don’t take into account many other families who are 'just about managing' who are at risk of falling into poverty.”

The councillor hit out at the government for failing to tackle the issue.

He said: “Sadly at the moment we have an economy that doesn’t work for everyone.

"The poorest 25 per cent in Swindon are being ignored by the government and the borough council.”

He added: “The figures should bring home to everyone the effects that austerity has had on families.”

A council spokesman said: “Although the overall level of child poverty in Swindon is in line with the average for the south west, this figure is far too high and we are working hard with our partners to bring it down.”

In comparison, the city of Bath has 19 per cent of children living in deprived circumstances.

Poverty was defined in the study as living conditions where the household income is less than 60 per cent of the average of all the household incomes in the UK, after housing costs were removed.

This equates to £204 a week or £10,700 a year for a lone parent with one child under 14, or £314 a week or £16,400 a year for a couple with one child under 14.

“In many areas, growing up in poverty is not the exception it’s the rule with more children expected to get swept up in poverty in the coming years,” said Anna Feuchtwang, chairman of ECP.

FULL LIST: Swindon children living in poverty - ward by ward

The organisation said less well-off families have been hit by severe real-terms cuts in benefits and rising rent and energy costs combined with low and stagnating wages.

The council spokesman added: “We have been extremely proactive in recent years to provide financial help to those people who are struggling financially and would like to work but cannot due to a variety of reasons.

"This includes supporting people with council tax, promoting credit unions and working more closely with the voluntary sector.”

Pointing to the Early Help Strategy, they emphasised the council helps children “grow up in stable and safe families” and “realise opportunities to improve their lives”.

Cllr Grant said if Labour ran the council, it would address the lack of affordable homes, end zero hours contracts and reintroduce children’s centres to support families.

End Child Poverty is calling for government parties to outline ambitious child poverty-reduction strategies, linking benefits back to inflation, ending the four-year benefits squeeze and ditching the two-child limit on child allowances in tax credits and universal credit.

The organisation also wants a reverse of cuts to children’s services.