St Helens: Shocking levels of child poverty raised in parliament

Government data shows that relative child poverty rates in St Helens North increased from 2,716 children in 2015 to 4,114 in 2023 – an increase of 51 per cent, MP David Baines says.

Speaking at Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Baines said: “Child poverty is a national scandal.

"In St Helens North it increased by over 50 per cent under the previous government.

"Does the Prime Minister agree with me that we need to address this, ideally cross party, and if so does he share my concern that the Conservatives have opposed actions we are taking with the Budget, employment rights, housing and more, not to mention their leader's comments on maternity pay which suggests they just do not get what working families and their children need?"

Sir Keir Starmer

In response, the Prime Minister replied “My honourable friend is absolutely right. Under the party opposite, we saw child poverty increase by 700,000.

"This was a Budget that not only invests in our NHS and our schools, but also ensures that working people won't face a penny extra in their pay slips or at the petrol pump.

"And then because it came to tough decisions on tax, we haven't touched National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT just as we promised on working people.

"We also gave three million of the lowest paid a pay rise, something which the party opposite seems to be opposing”.

Mr Baines' question came as the Prime Minister announced a child poverty taskforce, pledging to leave "no stone unturned" in tackling a growing problem in our communities and the country.

In August, the Star reported how, nationally, 2.5 million children now live in relative low-income households before housing costs, up from 2.3 million in 2018-19, before the coronavirus pandemic.

Latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions shows this includes 7,543 children in St Helens, equivalent to 23% of under-18s in the area – up from 19.8% in 2018-19, and the highest figure since comparable records began in 2014-15.

Speaking to the Star, Mr Baines said: “Poverty scars the lives and life chances of our children. It is shameful that child poverty has increased by 700,000 since 2010, with over four million children now living in poverty in the UK and 800,000 children using foodbanks to eat.

"I was grateful to have the opportunity to ask a question in PMQs and raise the issue of child poverty in St Helens North.

"It rose at an alarming rate under the last Conservative Government as a direct result of the decisions they took.

"This is such an important issue that ideally we would be working cross-party on it, but the Tories continue to oppose every step we're taking to make work pay, get Britain working, bring down the cost of energy, make housing more affordable, invest in education and expand access to childcare.

"These will all be critical to children and their families in St Helens North over the next few years.

The Labour government's Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Education Secretary and the Work and Pensions Secretary, shows that we are taking this issue seriously.

"The taskforce is currently asking for evidence from relevant groups, charities and individuals, and I encourage anyone in St Helens North with an interest in this subject to contact childpoverty.secretariat@cabinetoffice.gov.uk and help us to end this scandal."