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One in six children live in poverty, UK statistics show. One in six children live in poverty, UK statistics show.
(35 minutes later)
At least one out of every six children in the UK lives in relative poverty, according to data released by the Department for Work and Pensions.At least one out of every six children in the UK lives in relative poverty, according to data released by the Department for Work and Pensions.
In 2011-12, 2.3 million UK children (17%) lived in homes with substantially lower than average income.In 2011-12, 2.3 million UK children (17%) lived in homes with substantially lower than average income.
This rises to 27% (3.5 million) if measured after housing costs are paid.This rises to 27% (3.5 million) if measured after housing costs are paid.
There was no change on the previous year, and the number and proportion of working-age adults in relative poverty also remained at about the same level. Children's campaigners say the true figure is higher and that 300,000 more children live in poor homes than in the previous year.
But compared with 1998-99, about one million fewer children are living in poverty in the UK, on both measures. This is because there are two accepted ways of measuring poverty - relative and absolute.
Relative poverty is defined as when families have an income that is below 60% of "median net disposable income". The government prefers the measure of relative poverty - defined as when families have an income that is below 60% of "median net disposable income".
The government says the statistics also show that compared with last year, 100,000 fewer children are living in "workless poor families". Using this, there was no change on child poverty and the number and proportion of working-age adults in relative poverty also remained at about the same level.
But the number living in absolute poverty is higher and on this measure, one in five children in the UK lives in poverty - a total of 2.6 million in 2011-12.
On this measure, 300,000 more children fell below the poverty line compared with the year before.
The absolute measure of poverty is adjusted for inflation.
The government says the statistics show that compared with last year, 100,000 fewer children are living in "workless poor families".
The proportion of working-age adults living in relative poverty is also about one in six (5.6 million) if income is calculated before housing costs are paid - the government's preferred way of measuring relative poverty.The proportion of working-age adults living in relative poverty is also about one in six (5.6 million) if income is calculated before housing costs are paid - the government's preferred way of measuring relative poverty.
This rises to one in five (7.9 million) if the other measure is used.This rises to one in five (7.9 million) if the other measure is used.
A similar proportion on pensioners were living in relative poverty in 2011-12 - 1.9 million.A similar proportion on pensioners were living in relative poverty in 2011-12 - 1.9 million.
Working targetWorking target
The coalition government has made a pledge to end child poverty by 2020. Labour set a target to halve it by 2010. The coalition government has made a pledge to end child poverty by 2020.
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the government's aim was to get children out of poverty by getting more people in to work.Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the government's aim was to get children out of poverty by getting more people in to work.
"While this government is committed to eradicating child poverty, we want to take a new approach by finding the source of the problem and tackling that. We have successfully protected the poorest from falling behind and seen a reduction of 100,000 children in workless poor families," he said."While this government is committed to eradicating child poverty, we want to take a new approach by finding the source of the problem and tackling that. We have successfully protected the poorest from falling behind and seen a reduction of 100,000 children in workless poor families," he said.
"Today's figures underline the need for better measures of child poverty that are not so heavily dependent on where we draw the poverty line.""Today's figures underline the need for better measures of child poverty that are not so heavily dependent on where we draw the poverty line."
Children's campaigners say the true picture is worse than the government figures suggest and that the children moving in to the poverty bracket are in families where people are working.
The Children's Society prefers to measure the number of children living in absolute rather than relative poverty.
Matthew Reed, the organisation's chief executive said: "There are now 2.4 million children in working households living in absolute poverty - an unacceptable truth about life in Britain today.
"Latest figures also reveal that in the first full year of the coalition government 300,000 more children faced a real fall in living standards that pushed them into absolute poverty. The entire increase is from homes where parents are working.
"Government statistics paint a depressing picture indeed. Yet the situation could be even worse than today's figures indicate."