Four in 10 children 'in poverty'

from the Press Association

Four out of 10 children in London live below the poverty line, according to a new report published.

The report by the London Child Poverty Commission (LCPC), Capital Gains, called for tougher action from the Government and employers to raise salaries and increase employment in the capital.

LCPC found that 41% of the 650,000 children in London are living in a household with an income of less than 60% of the national median.

Half of all children in inner London were found to be living in poverty.

The report, which is the result of two years of research and consultation, called for the introduction of a government minister with specific responsibility for cutting child poverty in London, and for an increase in child tax credit.

It also called for employers and trade unions to help low-paid workers and recent immigrants develop their careers.

Other suggestions included tougher employment targets for Jobcentre Plus, more resources for literacy schemes, and the possibility of introducing a London-specific minimum wage.

Families living in social housing, single-parent families, and some black and ethnic minority groups were facing higher risks of poverty, the commission found.

More than one in three children in London currently lives in social housing, while 61% of children in inner London belong to an ethnic minority group.

Employment rates in the city are much lower than the national average, with 43% of single parents working, and 60% of mothers with partners.