More than 12,400 Wakefield children living in relative poverty, Save the Children figures show

Save the Children UK said the latest figures are grim and prove families are "still very much in the depths of a crisis” as inflation increases.

Department for Work and Pensions figures show 12,411 children in Wakefield were living in relative poverty in the year ending April 2022.

It meant 18.8% of children in the area were in a family whose income was below 60% of average household income and claimed child benefit and at least one other household benefit.

Of these children, 9,302 were in absolute poverty as their family's income was lower than 60% of the median income established in 2010-2011 – accounting for (14.1%) of kids in the area.

Overall, it was down from 21.7% of children who were living in poverty in 2020-21 but up from 16.4% seen in 2014-15 when comparable records began.

Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children, said kids growing up in poverty often grow up too fast as they are exposed to concerns about money and paying bills.

"Families need a proper benefits system that protects them from hardship, and means children can grow up without having to know what the inside of a food bank looks like.”

Imran Hussain, director of policy and campaigns at Action for Children, said: “It’s astonishing that, despite the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and the prospect of rising child poverty for years to come, the Government is not targeting help for children in low-income families.

“There is so much more this Government can do in these tough times to stop those with the least from suffering the most.”

A Government spokesperson said they are “committed to eradicating poverty and supporting those in need, and our actions have helped ensure there are nearly two million fewer people in absolute poverty than there were in 2009-10”.

They said the latest figures “reflect the country coming out of the pandemic and accompanying rising prices” and that record levels of support have been provided through cost-of-living payments, the Household Support Fund and the Energy Price Guarantee which “will continue to hold down people’s energy bills”.