Cost of living crisis: A quarter of Yorkshire families living in poverty, new research shows

The York based Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has released its annual report, showing some 13.4 million people were in poverty during 2020/21, including 3.9 million children.

And some 24 per cent of people living in Yorkshire and the Humber are below the poverty line, the third highest rate in the country after London and the North East.

Almost 3 in 10 children in families, where the youngest child is aged under five (28 per cent) or primary school age between 5 and 10 years (29 per cent), have experienced poverty

The time period measured in the report covers the first year of the pandemic, where a £20 weekly uplift to Universal Credit payments ws in place.

Peter Matejic, chief analyst at JRF, said: “Governments are far from helpless and none of this is inevitable. The £20 uplift was the right political choice which clearly made a huge difference during the pandemic and may have prevented what were tremendously difficult years becoming a complete disaster for families around the UK.

“The relief provided by this measure, taken away just as the cost of living crisis hit, also demonstrated that the standard rates of social security are fundamentally not fit for purpose, with millions now going without essentials such as food, heating and cleanliness.

A Government spokesperson said: “We recognise that families across the country are facing financial pressures as a result of Putin’s war in Ukraine and the aftershock of Covid; that’s why we are committed to halving inflation this year to ease the cost of living."