Over 600,000 young Londoners live in poverty. Most poor children won’t grow up to be poor. However, poverty’s negative effect on children’s education, housing, health and risk of crime and accidents can mean a higher chance of disadvantage as an adult.
Ending child poverty in London will make sure that Londoners fulfil their potential.
Who is at risk of child poverty?
- Children living in families where no one works face the highest poverty risks.
- Children in lone parent families
- Families where only one parent is working
- Mothers’ employment rates are much lower in London than in the rest of the UK.
- Parents with English as a second language have lower employment rates.
- Refugee, asylum seeking, gypsy and traveller families all face very high levels of disadvantage.
Why is the child poverty rate so high in London?
- London’s high housing, transport and childcare costs make it harder for low income families and many low skilled workers to survive on their incomes.
- London has fewer part-time jobs compared to the rest of the UK, reducing the opportunities for parents of young children.
London Living Wage
The Mayor campaigns for employers to pay the London Living Wage so that low paid workers can have better living standards.
London Child Poverty Commission
The Mayor and London Councils set up the independent London Child Poverty Commission (external website) which ran from 2006 to 2010.
The commission addressed the challenge of child poverty in London and identified solutions to help reduce and eventually end it.
The commission published its legacy report PDF (opens in new window) in March 2010.