The government is being urged to act immediately to support struggling families by lifting the two-child Universal Credit limit and introducing an Essentials Guarantee.

More and more families are living in destitution across Britain, and, for some, school is becoming a luxury to access essentials rather than a necessity. These were the findings of the latest State of Child Poverty report compiled by Buttle UK, a charity which helps children and young people across the UK.

The report surveyed more than 1,200 frontline workers who collectively support 200,000 children and young people.  Participants reported that 60 percent of children are living in destitution, marking a 15 percent rise on last year’s report. 67 percent of the families that frontline workers are in communication with say they are unable to access basic furniture, such as beds, sofas and appliances. 57 percent say they cannot afford enough food, while 58 percent of families are forced to go without gas and electricity. Almost half of the families supported by the keyworkers say they are unable to afford their rent or equivalent.

Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK, says that the report demonstrates the ‘catastrophic impact’ of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, which have meant more and more children are having to go without food, and the “situations these challenges are creating are preventing them from having any chance to reach their potential at school.”

“The increase in children and young people living in destitution is stark and worrying,” said Howes, adding:

“A child poverty strategy is needed to support in the longer term, but changes can be made now to pull hundreds of thousands of children out from the destructive grip of poverty.”

The charity is urging the government is act immediately to support struggling families by lifting the two-child Universal Credit limit and introducing an Essentials Guarantee, to ensure benefits always cover the basic essentials.

The same proposals are being backed by the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Buttle is also calling for a dedicated cabinet minister for children and young people to be appointed to follow the example of Scotland and Wales where action is being made to create a Child Poverty Strategy.

“This role should begin with a thorough review of the adequacy of current state support for children and young people living in poverty, in order to better understand the relationship between poverty, inequality and lifelong impacts in our society today,” says the charity.

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Forward

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