Anna’s Blog – Child Poverty Strategy
The 5th December marked a huge moment for UK history as the Government announced it’s very first ‘Child Poverty Strategy,’ which aims to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
The level of children living in poverty in the UK remains one of the highest in Europe. According to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), an unimaginable 4.5 million children currently live in poverty in the UK. 70% of children in poverty have at least one parent in paid work, 44% have a disabled family member, and “49% of children from Black and Asian communities are in poverty, compared to 24 per cent of white children.”
How poverty looks for children can be varied and 172,000 children live in temporary accommodation (a short-term housing solution for people who are homeless). As the name suggests, temporary accommodation works as a buffer for people to secure more permanent housing, but this is not a solution. Whilst it is good news that the new strategy includes a £950 million budget to build more temporary accommodation to tackle present crises of completely unsuitable housing for families in bedsits and hotels, all the research shows that children staying in temporary accommodation are still more likely to experience physical and mental health problems, family disruption, and missed schooling.
Even children who are living in permanent housing are often facing terrible living conditions. For example, you may have heard of ‘Awaab’s Law’ that was introduced in October 2025 to ensure social landlords take immediate action in addressing serious hazards within their properties. Awaab Ishak was a two-year old boy living in a one bedroom flat in Rochdale with his mum and dad. He sadly died from a severe respiratory infection caused by mould in his home that his Housing Provider failed to address. A recent survey from Health Equals found that low-income families with a minority ethnic background and existing health issues, are still twice as likely to live in damp, mouldy or cold homes. The Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, announced that despite the enforcement of Awaab’s Law, “some landlords [are] not taking full responsibility, communicating poorly and making basic errors” and that “half of our casework still concerns damp and mould.”
McFadden has stated that the new strategy will give “every child a good start in life.” Yet it’s clear to see that it does not lay out a clear-cut plan to tackle wider systemic issues surrounding housing in the UK including racial inequalities, and unaffordable, poor-quality housing which can only be described as a public health crisis. Neither does the target of lifting 550,00 children out of poverty by 2030 reflect the ambition of ‘every child’ as it still leaves nearly four million children in poverty.
The main point must not be missed – children shouldn’t live in poverty. Families should not have to rely on temporary housing, or do urgent maintenance repairs themselves, in order to survive. Rather, initiatives should focus on making impactful changes to our welfare system and increase opportunities for safe and affordable housing.
The implementation of this strategy does recognise the scale of the problem. For some, 2026 could be the first year where their family enjoy a warm and comfortable homelife that is not filled with worry over not knowing where they are going to live, or getting a good night’s sleep. In any case, when legal and policy-driven strategies that tackle child poverty in the UK are taken seriously, then this begins the important steps towards meaningful change.
Additional Info:
Homelessness minister promises to end use of B&Bs as emergency housing | Homelessness | The Guardian
CPAG | We are the trusted voice on child poverty
Housing Ombudsman statement on Awaab’s Law – Housing Ombudsman
Awaab’s Law finally takes effect – Shelter England