Rooftops of Thanet at dusk

Thanet tops child poverty table

Thanet has the highest rate of child poverty in Kent and the south east, with around 10,500 children affected according to a survey by End Child Poverty.

This is utterly repugnant to me and should be to all Thanet’s residents. All children should have an equal chance. Child poverty scars and hurts for life. As it stands, the UK has amongst the worst child poverty rates in the EU, and nationally it is set to grow by a shameful 1 million more kids in poverty by 2020.

How can the 6th richest nation stomach this?

How can Kent County Council (KCC) continue to deny and disguise the abject poverty in Thanet? I’ve written again to Kent County Council leader, Paul Carter and Matt Dunkley the Director of Children, Young people and Education to call for clear plans to halt and reverse this appalling situation. We need a clear, funded, and strategic plan of action. With specific targets for the poorest areas, especially Thanet.

  • We need to stop any further introduction of Universal Credit. As this is an engine of poverty.
  • We need to reimplement Labour’s Innovative tax credits that powered a reduction in poverty reduction.
  • We need a comprehensive expansion of Sure Start centres and stop any closures or reduction of services.
  • We also need to stop sending homeless families out of area, only to bring them back into area months later. This practice exacerbates poverty meaning the poorest families, and their children have to spend more of their meagre income to stand still.

Child poverty rates in Thanet by ward


Percentage of children in poverty, July-Sept 2017 BEFORE HOUSING COSTS AFTER HOUSING COST
Local Authority and wards* Number of children % Number of children %
Beacon Road 226 18.87% 352 29.45%
Birchington North 63 14.05% 99 22.22%
Birchington South 183 17.71% 287 27.77%
Bradstowe 71 11.60% 114 18.65%
Central Harbour 401 22.15% 615 33.98%
Cliffsend and Pegwell 77 9.28% 125 15.09%
Cliftonville East 144 14.45% 227 22.85%
Cliftonville West 1,061 36.85% 1,513 52.53%
Dane Valley 642 26.52% 976 40.32%
Eastcliff 500 24.44% 765 37.42%
Garlinge 222 20.46% 343 31.60%
Kingsgate 35 9.51% 56 15.46%
Margate Central 505 31.58% 747 46.70%
Nethercourt 162 15.31% 257 24.27%
Newington 520 31.41% 777 46.96%
Northwood 362 25.47% 553 38.97%
St Peters 190 13.79% 302 21.97%
Salmestone 373 25.28% 561 38.05%
Sir Moses Montefiore 237 18.47% 373 29.00%
Thanet Villages 234 16.87% 368 26.48%
Viking 181 15.91% 284 24.99%
Westbrook 141 16.93% 220 26.51%
Westgate-on-Sea 259 19.08% 402 29.65%
* ward boundaries as of 2013
Source: End Child Poverty