Figures reveal percentage of children living in poverty

Over a quarter of children in the Rochdale borough are living below the breadline, new figures reveal.

The figures, compiled by The Campaign to End Child Poverty, show that twenty-eight per cent of children in the borough are living in poverty. This compares to the UK average of 21 per cent.

Children are classed as living in poverty if their family’s income is 60 per cent below the national average.

The ward with the highest child poverty rate is Smallbridge and Firgrove, with 43 per cent.

Forty-two per cent of children are living in poverty in Kingsway.

Forty-one per cent of children in Milkstone and Deeplish and Central Rochdale are living in poverty, the figures show.

In Balderstone and Kirkholt 37 per cent of children are living in poverty.

The percentage for Spotland and Falinge is 32 per cent, Castleton is 24 per cent and Healey is 21 per cent.

In Bamford 16 per cent of children live in poverty, in Littleborough Lakeside there is 15 per cent, in Wardle and West Littleborough there is 11 per cent, in Milnrow and Newhey there is 11 per cent and in Norden the poverty rate is just 5 per cent.

In Heywood the percentage of children living in poverty in each ward is: 26 per cent in Hopwood Hall, 30 per cent in North Heywood and 33 per cent in West Heywood.

In Middleton the percentage of children living in poverty in each ward is: 42 per cent in West Middleton, 22 per cent in East Middleton, 21 per cent in North Middleton and 12 per cent in South Middleton.

Cheryl Eastwood, Executive Director of Children's Services at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Tackling child poverty is one of the council’s most important priorities and we are working hard to close the gap.

“Reducing child poverty and narrowing the gap in children's achievements and health are also key objectives of Rochdale Borough Children's Trust. This is a boroughwide issue and we are all working together. The trust brings together senior representatives of all the agencies working with children and families.

“We're aiming to decrease the number of young families in low incomes who do not take the financial support to which they are entitled. We are working hard to improve the take up of services aimed at helping parents back into work.”