Over a Million UK Children among 4 Million in Extreme Poverty: Study

A recent study conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), a local social change organization, has revealed a stark increase in extreme poverty in the UK. The report paints a grim picture, with nearly four million Britons, including over a million children, experiencing the most severe form of poverty in 2022.

The study defines this extreme state as ‘destitution,’ where individuals are unable to meet their basic physical needs, including food, warmth, cleanliness, and shelter. This dire situation is a result of both a lack of essential resources, such as clothing, heating, shelter, and food, and incomes that are so low that people cannot afford these basic necessities.

One of the key findings is the 61% surge in destitution between 2019 and 2022, affecting 3.8 million individuals. Household incomes, after deducting housing costs, fell below the minimum threshold, ranging from £95 ($115) per week for a single adult to £205 ($249) per week for a couple with two children. Shockingly, over half of destitute households had a weekly income of less than £85 after housing costs, and a quarter had no income at all.

Of great concern is the dramatic increase in the number of destitute children, which has almost tripled since 2017, marking a staggering 186% rise. Adults nationwide reported struggling to have more than one meal a day, often sacrificing their own nutrition to ensure their children could eat. Around 61% of respondents disclosed going hungry in the past month, relying on food banks or support from relatives.

Basic hygiene and cleaning products, as well as toiletries such as shampoo and toothpaste, were luxuries for over half of destitute adults, with heavy reliance on food banks to access these necessities. Clothing and footwear were also beyond reach for most, with new purchases limited to essential items like school uniforms and children’s trainers.

This study underscores the critical issue of poverty in the UK, particularly the alarming growth of destitution, and its devastating impact on children. The findings call for immediate attention and action to address the underlying factors leading to such extreme deprivation, as millions of Britons struggle to meet their basic needs in the face of rising living costs and low incomes.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The RT News