England

England has seen a significant rise in the number of children living in severe poverty from 11.4% in 2004/05 to 13.8% in 2007/08. This means that there are now around 1.5 million children in England living in severe poverty.

Save the Children in England

We've campaigned for the rights of children in England for over 80 years. Our programme work today is focused on the most deprived communities in London and the North of England. We want long-term change for some of the most vulnerable children across the country: those growing up in poverty and missing out on a good quality education.

Children and young people take an active part in all our work. We consult with them to find out about their experiences and ideas for tackling the problems they face. We help them develop these ideas and put them into practice. And we help them present their views to people in power, so they can play a part in bringing about lasting changes.

Severe Poverty in England

According to our latest briefing Measuring Severe Child Poverty in the UK, commissioned from the New Policy Institute, England has seen a significant rise in the number of children living in severe poverty from 11.4% in 2004/05 to 13.8% in 2007/08. This means there are now around 1.5 million children in England living in severe poverty.

Living in severe poverty means living on less than £12,220 a year (for a couple with one child). This amount leaves families around £113 a week short of what they need to cover food, electricity and gas, phones, other bills, clothes, washing, transport and healthcare, not to mention furnishings, activities for children and other essential items.

As we approach the target of halving child poverty by 2010, we find the level of severe child poverty is actually increasing. We need the government to focus its efforts on helping families living in severe poverty. Read more about our severe poverty research and what we are calling for the government to do.

Join our campaign to end child poverty.

Education Attainment Gap in England

We have found a stark link between levels of deprivation at home and a child’s academic achievement in the classroom, with those receiving free school meals far less likely to achieve five A*- C grades than their wealthier classmates.

This gap is even more shocking when comparing the results of the poorest children with the grades scored in some private schools. The latest breakdown shows that 175 boys from Eton College scored three As at A Level last year, compared to just 75 of the poorest boys across the entire country.

Fergus Drake, Save the Children Director of UK Programmes, says: “It is unacceptable that poverty continues to be a key determining factor in how well a child will do at school.

"Coming from a poorer home shouldn’t reduce your chances of getting decent GSCE results yet at every stage of school children from poorer backgrounds do far worse then their better off classmates.”

Read more about the education attainment gap

Friday 21 May 2010 Child poverty in the UK is falling but 1 in 5 still live in need: There has been a slight drop in the number of children living in poverty, according to the figures released by the government but the government needs to continue providing benefits to lift more out of poverty.
Tuesday 26 January 2010 Severe child poverty in the UK rises by 260,000 to 1.7 million: New evidence has revealed that the number of children living in severe poverty dramatically increased even before the recession.
Friday 8 January 2010 Heating bills will force UK’s poorest families into debt: The cold snap will push the UK's poorest families into debt as they are forced to borrow money to pay their heating bills.