Children in England Face Near-Dickensian Poverty, Commissioner Warns

Children in England are experiencing severe poverty levels described as 'almost Dickensian,' with many lacking basic necessities such as safe housing free from mould and rats, adequate food, heating, privacy, and access to education. The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, highlighted that children are normalizing these harsh conditions and often feel shame about their financial situations, emphasizing that society and decision-makers should be ashamed instead. Official figures show a record 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK as of April 2024. Campaign groups and the Children’s Commissioner are calling for the removal of the two-child benefit limit, which restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households and contributes to pushing 109 children into poverty daily. However, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson indicated that financial pressures following recent welfare reforms make it difficult to scrap this policy, though the government plans to publish a child poverty strategy in autumn. The Commissioner’s report also includes practical recommendations, such as a 'triple-lock' on child-related benefits, to address systemic failures in housing, education, transport, and community safety to improve children’s futures.