One third of Church ward children living in poverty

Published 14 Jan 2012 12:00 2 Comments

CHURCH ward has the highest rate of child poverty in Reading borough, according to figure released this week by the Campaign to End Child Poverty.

The 33% figure was followed by Whitley, where child poverty stands at 31%, with Southcote, Redlands, Norcot, Minster, Katesgrove, Caversham, Battle and Abbey having rates of between 20-25%.

In Kentwood, Park and Tilehurst, child poverty is between 15-19% with the lowest rates in Peppard (6%), Thames (3%) and Mapledurham (1%). The figure for the borough is 20%, equal to the national average and 2% less than in Slough - Berkshire's highest. The highest rate, 52%, was in Tower Hamlets, London.

The figures are estimates for last year, based on data from 2009. A child is classified as being in poverty if they live in families in receipt of out of work benefits or in receipt of in-work tax credits where their reported income is less than 60% of median income.

It has also been revealed that Reading has the 9th highest percentage in the south east of workless households, compared to 9.7% in Wokingham and 9.4% in West Berkshire - the two lowest in the region. The figure is 14.5% for the region and 18.9% fro the country.

GMB south east secretary, Richard Ascough, said: "The Tory Party famously claimed that 'if it's not hurting then it's not working'. It is high time that the Tories learned that if someone does not have work it hurts. It hurts the person, it hurts their families, it hurts their communities and it hurts our economy."

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 12 Jan 12

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• 

  Mischievous
  Unregistered User
  Jan 15, 01:13
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  Never mind, the station infrastructure and the developments round the station must come first - that is where the investments have gone - not a lot for Church except the Shinfield Road fiasco. The council is doing their best to ignore the issues within Church, which is as an aside houses some of the richest people in Reading as well as some of the less well off.
  
  Reading is 189th in the Halifax quality of life survey, the worst place for motorists (Virgin Money) and the number 1 "me too" town. And now this. I am afraid I will take the abuse and say, "How did the politicians get us here when I want to be there" or "Can the people afford our politician? Corporations can." Where is social justice?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 4     No 2

• 

  Jethro
  Unregistered User
  Jan 24, 15:32
  Report comment

  Their parents could always get a job rather than expecting the taxpayer to raise 'em.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 2     No 0

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