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 |