Youth Voices: Child poverty

‘Child poverty’ is when a child grows up without the things every child needs – like healthy food or a warm home.

Around 4 million children are living in poverty in the UK. If children are living in big families they are more likely to be in poverty.

Between January and March 2025 we spoke with 128 children and young people aged between 6- and 18-years-old. Below we share what children and young people have told the Commissioner about living in low-income households and concerns around poverty.

Dame Rachel de Souza
Children’s Commissioner for England

I have heard from a million children, and lots of them have told me that they are worried their families don’t have enough money for the things they need.

I want every child to grow up with the things they need – no child should be living in a damp, mouldy home, or going to bed hungry. There are lots of things that need to change to make that happen. The government should make sure that the money they give to families is enough. But I also want to see schools doing more to help children.

What have children and young people said?

– Some children living in poverty feel ashamed, even though it’s not their fault.

– Children were worried about not having the basic things – like a comfortable bed, a hot shower or healthy food.

– Children knew that their parents were anxious about being able to pay the bills.

– Some children living in poverty often didn’t feel safe in their local areas, but others spoke about having lots of fun with friends and family living close by.

Girl, 13: In some homes it might be tough. They might have a smiley face but inside it’s really, really tough

Boy 16: Sometimes we struggle to pay the bills. Right now it’s OK… before mum would cry every time she was going to pay the bills.

Girl, 11: There’s only one thing that that I actually want but I don’t think my mum can…get that. So, I’ve been holding it in…for 3 years…My little brother’s always asking for [toys], but I just say let’s just hide it until our mum gets money.

Boy, 7: I get money every time I help my mum or dad do something. And I’m going to save it up so then I can buy stuff that I need, or I can get stuff for my mum and my dad just in case they don’t have the money.

Boy, 8: I don’t like that my bed’s too small because I always have to crunch up into a ball when I’m sleeping, and I want a bigger bed.

Girl, 17: It took [the council] three months to move us out, which was…so much stress…and the mould was making me so ill…We got home and there was a hole in our floor and the mould wasn’t done properly…It feels like you’re fighting a one-way battle because they they’re not actually doing what they can do to support us.

Girl, 14: [I worry about] what if we won’t have enough to eat this month….We do try as much as possible to save up what we have

Girl, 17: …trying to feed us all…that’s also a struggle….some nights my mum’s like, ‘I genuinely cannot do anything with for you guys – I’ve got nothing for you older ones. I can only do pasta and sauce for the little ones’ and [I’m] like, ‘That’s fine, mum. I will go and try and get myself a tenner from someone’.

Girl, 14: I don’t get pocket money but if I did I would save it for things I need like school supplies.

Girl, 16: I know it’s not an intense priority…like food and water [are] but just having the heating on [is important].

Boy, 15: … I wouldn’t trade my childhood for having a big garden…On the streets where I grew up, you are playing with…different kids from different streets, getting to know them. So it’s a brilliant experience.

Boy, 11: Every time I got [food packages] the food was always out of date and mouldy …I know I’m poor but I’m not going to eat mouldy food.

Girl, 15: …there should be more money for families. Some parents have very little income, or they have disabilities that mean they can’t work. They government should give them more money so they can give their children the things they need

What is the Commissioner going to do?

The government is writing a ‘Child Poverty Strategy’ which will say what they are going to do – I am making sure this is based on what children themselves say is important. The Commissioner is talking to Members of Parliament about what children have said, and asking them to change the law about how much money families are given.

The Commissioner is asking for:

– More money from the government to support families

– Affordable, safe housing for families

– Free bus travel for all school aged children in England

– Automatically giving all eligible children receive nutritious and high-quality free school meals

– making communities safer including street lighting and safe roots home

– increased fun activities for young people

How can you get help?

If you are feeling worried about any of these issues you can call Childline for support or go to their website.

If you are living in care, are living away from home, have a social worker or are a care leaver you can contact the Children’s Commissioner’s Help at Hand team.

Giving all children a voice