London found to be hardest region for children in poverty
Trust for London press release
New research released today (20 October) by Trust for London shows that London is one of the hardest places in the country to be poor for children and young adults.
London's Poverty Profile, an annual report conducted by the New Policy Institute, compares poverty and inequality in London to the rest of the country. It found that, for all age groups, poverty is higher in London than the rest of England; but the gap is greatest for children - 38 per cent of whom are in low-income households, as opposed to 30 per cent in the rest of England, and the percentage is higher than any individual English region. Eight of the ten English authorities with the highest rates of child poverty are in London. On average, poverty is a harsher experience for children in the capital, with more going without everyday items, such as having friends over for tea, leisure activities and a school trip at least once a term.
Young adults in London are also being hit hard. The unemployment rate among young adults in London (23 per cent) is higher than the rest of England (19 per cent) and is increasing. Against a background of rising education standards, and despite being more likely to be better qualified than their contemporaries in the rest of England, young Londoners are more likely to be unemployed. Even when young adults do gain work it does not automatically lift them out of poverty, with nearly 50 per cent of under 25s being low paid.
Bharat Mehta, Chief Executive of Trust for London, said: "The Government has rightly acknowledged the critical importance of investment in the early years of children. However, our research shows that although good progress has been made in education, children in London are experiencing very difficult times. There is an urgent need to address this and the growing unemployment facing young Londoners."
The report also highlights the extreme inequalities that exist in the capital: Babies born in Southwark, Croydon, Haringey and Harrow are twice as likely to die before their first birthday as those born in Bromley, Kingston and Richmond. Adults in Hackney are twice as likely to die before the age of 65 as those in Kensington and Chelsea.
Tom MacInnes, from New Policy Institute, said: "Too often the visitor's perception of London is based on its prosperous centre and its leafy inner western residential districts, which is quite unrepresentative of the capital as a whole. Poverty and disadvantage are experienced by people in many parts of the city and is a growing issue in Outer London. High and rising housing costs are the main reason for London's high rates of poverty"
Ends
1. Spokespeople and case studies are available.
2. A pre-publication copy of the report is available for journalists from here.
3. London's Poverty Profile is being launched at an event at Bishopsgate Institute on Thursday 20 October 2011 at 10am. After a presentation of the key findings, the Directors of IPPR (Nick Pearce) and Policy Exchange (Neil O'Brien) will debate the question: "Were we too quick to say the riots were not about poverty?" If you would like to attend please contact Charlotte Morris on 07967 818064.
4. Trust for London is the largest independent funder of projects tackling poverty and inequality in the capital. The Trust makes grants totalling over £7 million per year, supporting around 400 voluntary and community organisations in London at any one time. It was set up in 1891 and was formerly known as City Parochial Foundation. Charity registration number: 205629.
5. New Policy Institute is a progressive think tank, founded in 1996 and has undertaken significant research on poverty in the UK including work for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Save the Children and the Office for Fair Trading.
6. For further information, see Trust for London; New Policy Institute and London's Poverty Profile websites.
For more information contact Charlotte Morris on 07967 818064 or email.