11 facts that show Birmingham has a child poverty emergency

Child poverty is surging in Birmingham - this shows how

BirminghamLive has declared a Child Poverty Emergency. We have called for a host of changes to help more than 100,000 young people in the city who are struggling.

In a wide-ranging report, we have outlined the reasons, challenges and answers to the rising problem in one of Europe's youngest city. We urge you to read it and write to your MP demanding change.

Here are 11 facts that show quite how bad things have become in the city:

Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency

Child poverty is soaring in Birmingham and without urgent change, will only get worse. Having worked with charities and community groups, BirminghamLive is campaigning for the following changes to start to turn the tide:

1. End the two-child benefit cap
2. Provide free school meals to every child in poverty
3. Create a city “aid bank” for baby and child essentials
4. Protect children’s and youth services
5. Create permanent, multi year Household Support Fund and give more Discretionary Housing grants
6. Set up child health and wellbeing hubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods
7. Appoint a Birmingham child poverty tsar
8. Provide free public travel for young people

You can see why in more detail here.

Read our full report Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency here.

What you can do to help.

1. The level of child poverty has risen in Birmingham in each year for a decade Percentage of children living in relative poverty, before housing costs
2. Latest data shows 41% of children in the city live in poverty- but it is much higher in some areas. It is more than twice as high as the national average (20% across the UK). Parts of Birmingham with highest levels of child poverty
3. Birmingham now has the 3rd highest rate of child poverty of any local authority in the UK, up from the 8th highest a decade ago.
4. The actual number of children living below the breadline in the city has risen from 68,748 to 104,433.
5. Two in three children living in poverty in Birmingham come from a working family.
6. Across Birmingham, around 17,000 families are affected by the two-child benefit cap in the year to April 2024.
7. Children living in the most deprived 10% parts of England are more than twice as likely to die in infancy - and that is just the start of it: The truth about the chances for babies born in Birmingham
8. There has been an 831% rise in families living in temporary accommodation in Birmingham since 2009. The soaring number of families living in temporary accommodation in Birmingham
9. Only 38.4% of pupils in Birmingham receive free school meals - despite more than 40% living in poverty. Nationally, the proportion of children on FSM is actually higher than the proportion of children living in poverty - 23.8% vs 19.8%.
10. Children from deprived areas are 73% more likely to be dragged into crime. The rate of 10 to 17 year olds receiving their first reprimand, warning or conviction is that much higher in the most deprived areas.
11. Demand from foodbanks to help children has risen 138% in four years, according to the Trussell Trust. Rising number of Trussell Trust food packages dished out in Birmingham