Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 3 February 2014.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children are living in poverty in Birmingham to the smallest area for which figures are available.
The information requested is not available.
The Child Poverty Act 2010 sets four income-based UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. The targets are based on the proportion of children living in households with relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation, absolute low income and persistent poverty (all before housing costs have been taken into account).
Estimates of these are published in the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living. This information is captured using the Family Resources Survey.
Information at authority level is not available as the sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide robust estimates. The lowest geography at which poverty estimates are reported is regional level.
Three-year averages are used to report statistics by region, as single-year estimates are subject to volatility. The latest figures for relative and absolute low income at regional level covering the period of 2009-10 to 2011-12 can be found in the latest HBAI publication, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/households-below-average-income-hbai-199495-to-201112
(ISBN 978-1-78153-531-8)
Relevant regional figures can be found in Table 4.17ts (on page 136) for relative low income and Table 4.23ts (on page 142) for absolute low income.
We have consulted on developing better measures of child poverty, which include, but go beyond income to provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty and drive the right action. The complexity of the issue means that we need to take time to ensure we have the best option for measuring child poverty. We will publish our response as soon as we can.
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.