Blackwater
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More than 1.5 million children in the UK are living in severe poverty, a charity has warned.
Many families struggle to heat their homes or save anything for emergencies
Save The Children described the figure as a "national scandal" and claims the number is likely to grow as Government cuts to welfare and public services bite.
It is calling on Chancellor George Osborne to counter the recent increase in VAT and rising inflation and unemployment with an emergency plan in next month's budget.
Save The Children says even more families will struggle to get by unless more jobs are channelled to the worst-off areas and more financial help is given to parents who want to work.
Its research, carried out by New Policy Institute, found that 29 local authorities in Britain have more than one in five children living in severe poverty.
For the first time the charity has named the 10 areas believed to be the worst affected.
Manchester, with more than a quarter of children in severe poverty, has the highest proportion. Four London boroughs are also listed, along with Leicester, Nottingham, Liverpool, Birmingham and Blackpool.
In total it found 1.6 million children in severe poverty across the country.
Save The Children defines severe poverty as when a lone parent and child have less than £134 per week to live on and when a couple with two children have to make do with less than £240.
Head of UK policy Sally Copley said: "Children up and down the country are going to sleep at night in homes with no heating, without eating a proper meal and without proper school uniforms to put on in the morning.
"No child should be born without a chance."
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...on_Children_In_The_UK,_Says_Save_The_Children
Many families struggle to heat their homes or save anything for emergencies
Save The Children described the figure as a "national scandal" and claims the number is likely to grow as Government cuts to welfare and public services bite.
It is calling on Chancellor George Osborne to counter the recent increase in VAT and rising inflation and unemployment with an emergency plan in next month's budget.
Save The Children says even more families will struggle to get by unless more jobs are channelled to the worst-off areas and more financial help is given to parents who want to work.
Its research, carried out by New Policy Institute, found that 29 local authorities in Britain have more than one in five children living in severe poverty.
For the first time the charity has named the 10 areas believed to be the worst affected.
Manchester, with more than a quarter of children in severe poverty, has the highest proportion. Four London boroughs are also listed, along with Leicester, Nottingham, Liverpool, Birmingham and Blackpool.
In total it found 1.6 million children in severe poverty across the country.
Save The Children defines severe poverty as when a lone parent and child have less than £134 per week to live on and when a couple with two children have to make do with less than £240.
Head of UK policy Sally Copley said: "Children up and down the country are going to sleep at night in homes with no heating, without eating a proper meal and without proper school uniforms to put on in the morning.
"No child should be born without a chance."
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...on_Children_In_The_UK,_Says_Save_The_Children