Tackling child poverty priority families overview

Introduction

This evidence pack highlights key issues for the six priority family types identified as being at highest risk of child poverty: lone parent families, minority ethnic families, families with a disabled adult or child, families with a younger mother (under 25), families with a child under one, and larger families (three or more children).

These families continue to be at a higher risk of poverty and future policies should continue to focus on reaching families in poverty. There is a need for a holistic approach that addresses individual needs while recognising structural barriers, to avoid perpetuating patterns of exclusion.

Families often belong to more than one priority group. For example, among children in relative poverty: 46% of children in lone parent families also have a disabled person at home; 44% of children in a family with a younger mother are also in a lone parent household; 42% of children in a three or more children family are also in a family in which someone is disabled.

The aim of this pack is to summarise key evidence available on each of the six priority family types most at risk of poverty. It is intended as a tool to support policy development.

Findings presented here are based on the focus reports published for lone parent families, minority ethnic families, families with a disabled person, families with a mother aged 25 or under, families with a baby, and for families with three or more children. Emerging findings from the upcoming focus report on the cost of living crisis are also included.

This pack covers: overview of child poverty targets; overview of each priority group, including key demographics and specific challenges around each of the drivers of poverty (income from employment, cost of living and income from social security); and consideration of broader and overarching issues affecting priority families.

Information and data in this pack was correct at the time of publication (June 2023).

• Latest statistics and analysis on child poverty