Warning over children living in vulnerable families

The number of children living in vulnerable families will rise to over one million by 2015 unless urgent action is taken, a new report has warned.

A research study for three leading children’s charities measured the number of families with children who are most vulnerable to adverse economic conditions, and how they will be affected over the next few years.

Key points

  • The most vulnerable families with children will be disproportionately affected by tax and benefit changes, and by other cuts in public spending.
  • Overall, by 2015 vulnerable families will be £3,000 worse off each year as a result of these measures.
  • A large number of families are struggling with problems such as unemployment, depression, poor-quality housing and poverty – far more than government estimates suggest.
  • Particularly worrying is the projected increase in the number of children living in extremely vulnerable families – from fewer than 50,000 to 96,000 by 2015.

Source: Howard Reed, In the Eye of the Storm: Britain’s Forgotten Children and Families, Action for Children/The Children’s Society/National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: Report | Summary | Methodology note | Children’s Society press release | BBC report | Guardian report

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