Child poverty statistics – new record high and further breakdowns

Today’s Households Below Average Income statistics published by government show 4.5 million children were in poverty in the year to April 2024, an increase of 100,000 from the previous year. This means across the UK 31% of children are living in poverty. 

Today’s statistics also show:

• 44% of all children living in poverty are living in a household where someone is disabled
• 72% of poor children live in working families
• 44% of children in families with 3 or more children are in poverty, far higher than families with 1 child (21%) or 2 children (25%)
• Poor families have fallen deeper into poverty. There are 3.1 million children in deep poverty compared to 2.9 million children last year (i.e. with a household income below 50% of after-housing-costs equivalised median income)
• 48% of all children in poverty were in families with a youngest child aged under five
• 49% of children in Asian and British Asian families are in poverty, 49% of children in Black/ African/ Caribbean and Black British families, and 24% of children in white families
• 43% of children in lone parent families were in poverty, higher than the couples rate of 26%
• More children in poverty are growing up in privately rented homes – 1.7 million, a record high, up from 1.1 million in 2010/11
• The three-year average poverty rate has fallen in Scotland from 24% to 23% (one-year from 26% to 22%) and has risen in England from 30% to 31%, in Northern Ireland from 23% to 24%, and in Wales from 29% to 31%

Notes to editors

CPAG spokespeople are available for interview. Parents may also be available via the CPAG press office. 

CPAG media contact: Jane Ahrends 07816 909302 

Relative poverty is measured as living on less than 60% of today’s median income

Today’s HBAI statistics from the DWP are here