Analysis by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) shows the Tories have presided over a 44% (+900,000) increase in the number of kids growing up in child poverty in working households between 2010 and 2023. The TUC says a “toxic combination” of pay stagnation, rising insecure work, and cuts to social security have had a “devastating impact on family budgets”.
Child poverty has rocketed
Child poverty in working households has increased by over 1,300 a week, on average, since 2010 – according to new TUC analysis published on Tuesday 25 June. The analysis shows that the number of kids living in poverty with at least one parent in work increased by 900,000 (44%) between 2010 and 2023 – the equivalent to 1,350 a week.
The TUC says in 2023 there were three million kids in working households living below the breadline in the UK.
Children growing up in poverty in working households now account for:
- 69% of all children in poverty.
24% of all children in working households.
Toxic combination
The TUC says that a “toxic combination” of wage stagnation, rising insecure work, and cuts to social security have had a “devastating impact” on family budgets.
Real wages are still worth less today than in 2008 and the union body estimates that had they grown at their pre-crisis trend since the Tories took power the average worker would be over £14,000 a year better off.
And separate analysis from the TUC shows that the number of people in insecure, low-paid work has increased by nearly one million during the Conservatives’ time in office to a record 4.1 million.
Economic reset
Meanwhile, analysis from the Resolution Foundation on 25 June confirmed wage growth has stagnated under the Tories. It found that average wages are now only £16 a week, or 2.5%, higher in real terms than they were at the time of the 2010 election.
The TUC says Britain urgently needs an economic reset. And it called on political parties to make reducing child poverty a national priority.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:
No child in Britain should be growing up below the breadline.
But under the Conservatives we have seen a huge in rise in working households being pushed into poverty.
A toxic combination of pay stagnation, rising insecure work and cuts to social security have had a devastating impact on family budgets.
We urgently need an economic reset and a government that will make work pay. Reducing child poverty must be a priority in the years ahead.
Featured image via Envato Elements/the Canary
