Poor families are getting poorer new research by an anti-poverty charity has shown with an increase in child poverty forecast to increase by 50% in the next four years.
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has found that across the UK the average poor family has drifted further below the poverty line - with a weekly income now £55.60 below the poverty threshold.
This compares with a gap of £50.80 in 2010- 2011 – meaning the poverty gap that has grown by 9.4%. over three years.
The research is released ahead of the publication of the Scottish and UK government’s annual child poverty statistics.
Independent projections suggest that by 2020, the number of children in the UK living in poverty will have increased by 50% with significant increases expected from 2017.
Commenting on the research John Dickie, director of CPAG in Scotland said: “This financial squeeze on low income families, including those in work, has meant that more families are missing out on the basics in life.
More families are missing out on the basics in life - John Dickie
“More than one in five parents on low incomes can’t keep their home in a decent state of repair or pay for home contents insurance.
"Almost a quarter don’t have the money to fix or replace a broken fridge or washing machine. Cuts to family benefits and in-work support mean that the money parents do have goes on children’s essentials.
"Parents are depriving themselves to protect their children, but even so increasing numbers have been missing out on basics like being able to go on a school trip.”
The research shows that while parents are doing their best to protect their children from the worst effects of poverty, children in low income households are feeling the squeeze too.
In some cases, this is affecting their ability to make friends and take full advantage of educational opportunities.
Poverty for children has become so dire that many report they are unable to have friends round for tea or go on school trips as a result of financial constraints.
Jennifer, a working mother of three young children from Edinburgh said financial constraints were affecting her son’s schooling and social status.
She added: “My younger son is going away on a residential school trip but I’ve not been able to manage to pay the £200 to it because I’ve needed it for my rent…I presume that there will be other mums that struggle as well. ’
‘It’s just all the extra stuff to get. You have to buy things like wellies and waterproofs and they’re never going to wear them again but you have to get them. All the other kids will have them. So, you just have to. It’ll be fine. I’ll sort something out.”
CPAG is now calling on the Scottish Government to make a public commitment to ending child poverty by introduction of a Child Poverty Act for Scotland and for it to use new social security powers to top-up child benefit by £5 a week.
This policy alone could reduce child poverty in Scotland by a substantial 14%, lifting 30 000 children out of poverty, according to the charity.
