Mayor to announce plans to tackle child poverty

The North East Child Poverty Commission said a third of children in the region were living in poverty

Getty Images A child wearing a pair of brown shoes which are falling apart — The North East Child Poverty Commission said a third of children in the region were living in poverty

A mayor is expected to announce plans to try and end child poverty and has vowed not to back down on a pledge made during her election campaign.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness is due to bring forward proposals in the coming weeks, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A report from the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC), published in February estimated that more than a third of children in the north-east of England were living in poverty.

The Labour mayor said tackling the issue during her administration was her “number one priority”.

Ms McGuinness' manifesto included plans for a new childcare grant to support parents getting back into work, reintroducing Sure Start-style services and funding for after-school clubs.

She said: "People will criticise and say ending child poverty is ridiculous and unachievable, and there are elements where I understand that sounds unrealistic.

“But we have to keep fighting every day and be honest about the scale of the problem."

Ms McGuinness said she would not back down on her campaign promise

Kim McGuinness Kim McGuiness smiling directly at the camera. She is standing in a field and wearing a green waterproof jacket. — Ms McGuinness said she would not back down on her campaign promise

NECPC data has revealed that North East children living in poverty from working families had risen from 56% to 67% in under a decade.

It also found more than one in five children in households with parents in work were in poverty - a figure that has doubled since 2015.

Research carried out by the End Child Poverty Coalition estimated that 118,000 children were living in poverty across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham.

One in five children in households with parents in work are living in poverty, according to research

Getty Images A child on a scooter rides on the pavement towards a council estate. — One in five children in households with parents in work are living in poverty, according to research

The new Labour government has come under pressure to lift the two-child benefit cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children.

Ms McGuinness said she wanted the cap to be lifted, but blamed the “incredibly difficult” state of the public finances for Sir Keir Starmer’s failure to do so yet.

"I acknowledge the inheritance from the previous government has been incredibly difficult but I don't want to wait," she added.

“If we want to have a successful, thriving region then we need to make sure we are tackling child poverty and giving every single child who grows up here the best possible opportunity.”

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