Child poverty and devolution in North East England

Article

Child poverty is the starkest manifestation of economic and social inequality, leading to short-term hardship and long-term damage.

Poverty rates reflect both economic circumstances and policy choices. The UK is among the countries where changes to policy have contributed to major reductions in child poverty. Between 1999 and 2013, child poverty fell by 6 percentage points across the UK. However, over the past eight years these gains have begun to unravel.

Regional inequalities in the UK include marked differences in levels of child poverty. The North East currently has the second highest rate of child poverty of any English region. In this report, we consider how English regions, such as the North East, can use devolution to address child poverty and improve the lives and life chances of children.

Related items

  1. Train and cars on a motorway with London skyline in background

    Planes, trains and automobiles: How green transport can drive manufacturing growth in the UK

    Transport is essential to our lives. Unfortunately, it is currently also the largest source of UK domestic carbon emissions. 

  2. Regional economies: The role of industrial strategy as a pathway to greener growth

    Regions like the North should have a key role to play in the development of a green industrial strategy.
  3. A mother and child walking in a field with hills in the distance

    Achieving the 2030 child poverty target: The distance left to travel

    On 27 March, the Scottish government will announce whether Scotland’s 2023 child poverty target – no more than 18 per cent of children in poverty – was achieved.