Borough now fifth worst in UK for child poverty, new report finds

Councillors met at Hackney Town Hall on Wednesday

Hackney has the fifth highest child poverty of any local authority in the UK, with the number of children living in poverty rising by more than four per cent in two years.

A new report by charity End Poverty Now (EPN) finds the borough has moved from seventh to fifth place, with child poverty up from 37.1 per cent in 2015 to 41.3 per cent in 2017.

EPN Chair Sam Royston called the government’s benefits freeze despite rising prices a “major contributor” to the national rise in child poverty.

A Hackney Council spokesperson said the council “does a lot to combat child poverty”.

They said: “Nearly all of our schools are rated good or outstanding and, as a result, Hackney has the fifth highest level of social mobility in the UK.

“This work is being put at risk by the government’s cuts to welfare benefits – including housing benefit – which mean that they no longer cover increasing prices and rents, significantly reducing the amount of income families have available to spend on other essentials.”