Middlesbrough’s MP calls for the removal of the two-child benefit cap after a report reveals alarming child poverty rates in the region, affecting thousands of families.
The report, titled “UK Poverty 2025,” highlights the state of poverty as we approach the 2024 General Election. It emphasizes the need for government action to address these issues.
In Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, about 43% of children live in poverty after housing costs. This is a serious concern for local families.
Poverty is defined as having resources well below what is needed to meet basic needs. The report focuses on “relative poverty after housing costs,” which looks at household income compared to the median income.
Poverty rates differ across the UK. The North East has a 21% poverty rate, slightly below the UK average of 22%. The West Midlands has the highest rate at 27%, while the East of England has the lowest at 18%.
Around 600,000 people in the North East live in poverty, which includes 12 local authorities. Nationwide, about 14.4 million people are in poverty, meaning over one in five people in the UK faced this issue in 2022/23.
The report notes that child poverty has slightly increased, while pensioner poverty has decreased. Overall, poverty levels have returned to pre-pandemic figures.
Salaries also show a big gap, with median earners in the North East making about 10% less than the national average.
Andy McDonald, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough, expressed concern over the child poverty rate. He believes that one child in poverty is too many and supports removing the two-child benefit cap.
He argues that lifting this cap could help 300,000 children immediately and reduce poverty for another 700,000.
During the last General Election campaign, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the Conservative Party’s record on child poverty. He emphasized the importance of good jobs for parents to prevent child poverty.
While McDonald opposes the two-child benefit cap, Labour plans to keep it for now.
The Department for Work and Pensions stated that no child should live in poverty. They are exploring ways to improve living standards and support low-income families.
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