Fears over effect of pandemic as data shows high child poverty levels in Portsmouth and Havant
FEARS over how the pandemic could affect the area's poorest children have been raised after a study found more young people in Portsmouth and Havant are living in poverty.
Government data compiled by End Child Poverty and Loughborough University showed in 2018 20.3 per cent of children in Portsmouth were living in poverty - up from 15.8 in 2014.
Similarly in Havant child poverty levels rose from 13.8 per cent in 2014 to 18.6 per cent in 2018.
Both were above the average for the south east, which has a child poverty rate of 13.7 per cent in 2018 - a 2.9 per cent increase from 2014.
Portsmouth South MP and councillor for a ward with high levels of poverty, Stephen Morgan, described the trend as 'worrying.'
The Charles Dickens representative said: 'After the four-year freeze of working-age benefits, poverty has increased, and food bank use has soared. It is even more worrying that these statistics do not reflect the recent impacts of Covid-19.
'Government must urgently get to grips with the flood of new Universal Credit claims and provide financial support for all people who need it if it is to break this mould of failure.
'Poverty is not inevitable. Every child deserves an opportunity to do well in life. Any family can fall on hard times and find it difficult to make ends meet. It is government’s duty to ensure that effective support networks exist.'
Councillor Suzy Horton, Portsmouth's children and families boss, agreed. 'This paints a worrying picture that is no surprise to us who work directly with families in the city,' she said.
'The government’s decision to freeze benefits for the poorest families has led to unnecessary suffering for many children over the last few years. The council, together with the voluntary and community centre, play our part in helping families via support and guidance and having the highest aspirations for our children in school.
'The recent weeks have demonstrated clearly that there is a stark contrast of lockdown experience and there is much more to do to minimise a potentially widening gap of disadvantage. The close working of social workers and schools has been strengthened during this time and has achieved a lot to support these families.'
Havant MP Alan Mak explained some of the measures in place to help children during the pandemic.
He said: 'As a former school governor and trustee of a charity fighting child hunger, tackling poverty is vital and I personally brokered a deal which sees local employer Fat Face provide 100,000 children’s breakfasts across Havant and beyond.
'During the coronavirus outbreak, the government has continued to support children and their families, including through wage subsidies, food vouchers and laptops for online learning.'
In Fareham the child poverty rate rose from eight per cent in 2014 to 10.2 per cent in 2018. Gosport saw a rise from 12.2 per cent to 16 per cent in that same time.