One in four children of care workers living in poverty

One in four (28.4%) children with care worker parents are growing up in poverty according to research by the TUC. The analysis carried out by Landman Economics shows that 220,000 kids with at least one social care worker as a parent are in poverty.

The union body warned this number is on course to rise to nearly 300,000 by the end of this parliament unless swift action is taken to boost pay and conditions.

The research also showed that nearly a tenth (9.4%) of kids with nurses as parents are living below the breadline. This represents over 70,000 children.
One in nine (10.8%) children with teaching staff as parents are growing up in poverty. This represents around 100,000 children. Whilst one in eight kids of local government workers are growing up in poverty. This represents over 220,000 children.

It showed that one in four (25%) children with public transport workers as parents have kids growing up in poverty. This represents 50,000 children.
Overall, the TUC estimates that one in five

The TUC warned that child poverty rates among key worker households are likely to get worse. Ministers have announced another of year of real-terms pay cuts for millions of key workers in the public sector. This will result in the average nurse losing £1,100 in real wages this year. And in social care 6 in 10 workers are still being paid less than £10 an hour.

Commenting on the analysis, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said “Our amazing key workers risked their lives to get us through the pandemic. The very least they deserve is to be able to provide for their families. But many have been trapped in poverty and abandoned by this government.”