One in five households where adults are classed as “key” workers has children living in poverty, according to new research. The TUC said its study suggests that the number of children growing up in poverty in key worker households has increased by 65,000 over the past two years to nearly one million.
The analysis, undertaken for the TUC by Landman Economics, indicated that in some regions of the UK more than two-fifths of children in key worker households are living in poverty. Key worker families in the North East have the highest rate of child poverty (41%) followed by the North West and London (both 29%), and the East of England (24%), while Scotland (8.3%) and Wales (8.9%) have the lowest rates, said the TUC.
The union organisation warned that another year of below-inflation pay rises for public sector workers will have a “devastating” impact on frontline staff after a “brutal decade” of pay freezes and cuts. The TUC said its research indicates that real pay for nurses will be down by £1,100 this year and by more than £1,500 for paramedics.
