Going Without: Almost One in Five Children Growing Up Deprived of the Basics

Action for Children, working with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) have released their latest report ‘Going without: Almost one in five children growing up deprived of the basics’. The findings of this report are based on analysed UK government data on children growing up in material deprivation. 

Material deprivation is another way of measuring poverty, that instead looks at what people can or cannot afford. Each year, the government collects data on material deprivation by asking families whether they can afford 21 basic items and activities that are considered to be necessities by the general population; things like a warm winter coat or fruit and vegetables. 

Focusing on a family’s inability to afford these essentials provides insight into their actual living conditions and lived experience of poverty. 

Key Findings 

• In 2021/22 there were 2.6m children in the UK growing up in material deprivation – meaning their families can’t afford the items and activities that are considered essential to a happy and healthy childhood. That is 1 in 5 children (18%).
• 1.5m children in material deprivation are also in families where income is below the official poverty line (10% of all children) – meaning they are even more likely to be growing up in severe hardship. 
• Over half of the children growing up materially deprived are under 10 (58%). That’s 1.5m young children growing up deprived of the essential items and activities they need to get the best start in life – including 900,000 who are also living below the poverty line. 
• Even before the cost of living crisis and energy price shock, there were 4.2m children in families that can’t save at least £10 a month, 1.2m children in families that can’t keep up with bills, and 800,000 children in families that can’t keep the house warm. 
• On average, the median number of items that a child growing up in material deprivation in 2021/22 lacks access to because their family can’t afford them is 8 out of 21 essential items.
• In 2021/22 there were 100,000 children whose parents can’t afford a warm winter coat.
• There are 300,000 children in families that can’t afford fresh fruit or vegetables each day. 
• There are 700,000 children in families who can’t afford to have friends around for tea/snack once a fortnight (5%).
• North East England has the highest proportion of children in material deprivation – 27%. 
• London is the region with the most children living in material deprivation (400,000). 
• 39% of children from a Black ethnic background are in material deprivation, compared to 30% of children from a mixed or multiple ethnic group background, 24% from an Asian background, and 15% of children from a White background.
• Children are significantly more likely to be growing up materially deprived if they are in an economically inactive household: 46% of children in families where there are no adults in work are materially deprived, compared to 13% where at least one adult is working. 

You can read the full report here.