Childhood Lost
Impact of the cost of living crisis on children
The cost of living crisis is having a significant impact on family life in the UK. Rising prices for food, energy and other essentials are making it harder for families to make ends meet and this is having a knock-on effect on the lives of children.
But for many families the cost of living crisis is nothing new : poverty is an every day lived experience.
The number of children living in poverty is staggering. The Children Poverty Action Group calculates that there are
4.3 million children living in below average income households. That's around 30% of all children in the UK.
In this article we analyse recent research to highlight the impact on children of living in poverty.
Health and nutrition
One of the most immediate impacts of the cost of living crisis is on children's access to food. According to recent data from the Trussell Trust, food banks in their network distributed 3.1 million emergency food parcels between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024, an increase of 94% in five years.
This increase is being driven by the rising cost of living and is disproportionately affecting children from families with low incomes. Last year, the Trussell Trust provided 1.1 million emergency food parcels for children.The Trussell Trust also found that over one in five children in the UK are now living in food insecurity and this number is expected to rise in the coming months.
Poor nutrition can significantly affect a child's physical and cognitive development. Research suggests that undernourished pre-school children have impaired cognitive ability and that
nutritional interventions significantly improve cognitive outcomes. Children growing up in poverty are also at greater risk of
poorer health outcomes than children from better off families or from more affluent areas. In addition, poorer families often lack access to quality healthcare services, which can exacerbate health issues and lead to negative long-term consequences.
Poverty can lead to adverse childhood experiences like neglect, abuse and household dysfunction. These experiences leave lasting marks, leading to a range of long-term mental health outcomes that can carry on well into adulthood.
Cognitive and academic development
Children living in poverty are more likely to experience academic challenges. The Child Poverty Action Group state that children who have lived in persistent poverty during their first seven years have cognitive development scores, on average, 20 per cent below those of children who have never experienced poverty. Research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies shows that 41 per cent of children receiving free school meals obtained good English and Maths GCSEs, compared with 69 per cent of other children.
Limited access to quality education, inadequate nutrition and lack of learning resources all contribute to reduced cognitive development and academic performance. Moreover, poverty-related stress can affect a child's ability to concentrate, negatively impacting their learning capabilities.
Emotional and mental health
The stress of living in poverty can lead to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. Research quoted by the Centre For Mental Health shows that children from the poorest 20% of households are four times more likely to have serious mental health difficulties by the age of 11 as those from the wealthiest 20%.
In a survey of support workers conducted by Buttle UK, 65% reported that poverty had a high negative impact on a child's mental health and 60% said it had a high negative impact on their self esteem. The constant strain of financial instability and exposure to adverse environments can take a toll on a child's emotional wellbeing. These emotional and mental health challenges can impede their ability to succeed academically and socially.
Social development
The cost of living crisis is also having a negative impact on social development. Families who have to spend more money on essential items have less to spend on things like extra-curricular activities and school trips. This lack of social engagement can lead to isolation and difficulties in forming meaningful relationships.
Conclusion
The cost of living crisis has pushed more families into poverty and exacerbated the situation for those already there. The resulting impacts on children in the UK underscores the urgent need for society to redouble efforts to address poverty and its multifaceted consequences. The increasing number of children living in poverty is alarming, as it is not just a matter of economic disadvantage but a cascade of effects that can have lasting implications on their overall development.
Tackling child poverty is a complex task that requires comprehensive and multi-sectoral approaches. The current government's approach involves targeting benefits such as Universal Credit, the levelling up agenda and stimulating economic growth. The data suggests that more needs to be done to ensure that all families have access to basic necessities such as nutritious food, proper healthcare, a quality education and enough money to live on.
Addressing poverty is not just about providing immediate relief but also about investing in the future. By helping children and families overcome the challenges of poverty, we invest in a stronger, healthier and more equitable society for all. Not to do so will result in millions of children having their childhood lost to poverty.
