Almost one in four children across Wrexham and Flintshire are living in poverty

Figures released by End Child Poverty show 25.39 per cent of youngsters in Wrexham – 7,565 in total – are considered to be in poverty after housing costs are accounted for.

And in neighbouring Flintshire, 23.71 per cent of children (7,726) are in the same situation.

Broken down into local authority wards, Queensway in Wrexham fares the worst across the counties – with just shy of half of all children being classed as living in poverty at 48.81 per cent (484 in total).

In Flintshire, more than 47 per cent of children (350 in number) in Shotton Higher live in poverty, while just 0.82 per cent (three) of youngsters in Higher Kinnerton face the same conditions.

Marford and Hoseley ward has the lowest poverty percentage in Wrexham at 8.41 per cent (36 children).

As price rises risk pushing ever larger numbers of children below the poverty line, the coalition is calling on the Chancellor to end the freeze on children’s benefits – currently in place until the end of the decade – so that families no longer see living standards squeezed as prices rise.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas said: “This is further evidence of the very real pressures that families are under as far as their income is concerned.

“Real wages have not increased since around 2004 and many people are not receiving any form of pay rise, including those working in the public sector.

“Children in particular are lapsing into poverty in a way that was not happening before 2010.

“It is a very serious situation and what we need to ensure is that any good news locally in terms of jobs leads to benefits that are spread fairly. We are seeing more homeless people and people are really struggling to live on zero-hour contracts, not knowing where their next meal is coming from.

“I see it in London as well and the really disappointing aspect is the huge inequality between people well off and those struggling financially. That leads to social dissatisfaction. Unfortunately I don’t see things changing unless there’s a change at a Governmental level.”

Mark Tami, Labour MP for Alyn and Deeside, said the figures were “quite staggering”.

“It’s startling that whenever these figures are published we’re shocked to say the least,” he said.

“I think it’s because we don’t consider ourselves to be in an impoverished area because we offer good jobs and communities, yet we have areas of bad social deprivation.

“We still find it quite shocking that within our communities there are these quite staggering figures.

“It’s about how we look to address it and turn it around. These areas were the highest last year, the year before that and sadly will be most likely the highest next year as well.

“It’s how we break that circle and help people in that situation.”

Cllr Kelly Evans, who represents the Higher Shotton ward on Shotton Town Council, said school closures and the loss of a Welsh Government scheme had contributed to this year’s figures.

She said: “It was recognised when we got the Communities First scheme in 2001.

“It made a lot of progress with families in the area and now we haven’t got it so who do they go to?

“SureStart and other organisations do wonderful things in the community now.

“John Summers High School [which has closed] gave a lot of support to children in the area and people are struggling now with them having to go elsewhere.

“Regardless of the statistics it’s a wonderful community and we all stick together.”
Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths said: “These troubling figures highlight the inequality that exists in our society and are a clear indictment of UK Government welfare reforms.

“The Welsh Government has always done its best to mitigate against Tory cuts by introducing initiatives such as Flying Start and the Child Poverty Strategy, which aims to create jobs, improve skills and support families through debt and financial advice.

”However, with the UK Government continuing to pursue its austerity agenda, the challenges are becoming increasingly difficult.”

Since the introduction of the benefit freeze, the coalition of charities, faith groups and unions has warned that as prices rise, low income families would find it increasingly hard to pay for the same basic essentials.

“It is scandalous that a child born in some parts of the UK now has a greater chance of growing up in poverty, than being in a family above the breadline,” said Sam Royston, chair of End Child Poverty and director of policy and research at the Children’s Society.

“There can be little doubt that the Government’s policy of maintaining the benefits freeze despite rising prices is a major contributor to the emerging child poverty crisis.”

The coalition is also concerned the impact of poverty may be exacerbated by a poverty premium – which means that low income families can face paying as much as £1,700 per year more than better off families, to buy the same essential goods and services.

A major contributor to this is the high cost of credit for low income families, and the coalition wants to see the Government address this by providing better access to interest free credit.

Dr Royston added: “No family in modern Britain should be struggling to put food on the table, heat their homes and clothe their children.

“End Child Poverty is calling on the Chancellor to end the freeze on children’s benefits, and to invest in interest free credit for low income families, to ensure that poverty doesn’t result in spiralling debt.”

The number of children per ward in Wrexham living in poverty after housing costs are accounted for:

Wrexham (total) – 7,565 (25.39 per cent)

Acton – 216 (29.37%) Borras Park – 39 (10.46%) Bronington – 76 (13.69%) Brymbo – 223 (20.08%) Brynyffynnon – 165 (23.71%) Bryn Cefn – 129 (23.87%) Cartrefle – 286 (42.12%) Cefn – 297 (27.74%) Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley – 80 (19.42%) Chirk North – 109 (20.56%) Chirk South – 74 (18.01%) Coedpoeth – 300 (27.88%) Erddig – 78 (22.10%) Esclusham – 97 (14.66%) Garden Village – 36 (9.33%) Gresford East and West – 48 (10.16%) Grosvenor – 110 (25.07%) Gwenfro – 150 (33.69%) Gwersyllt East and South – 224 (19.07%) Gwersyllt North – 160 (21.53%) Gwersyllt West – 185 (28.89%) Hermitage – 151 (31.55%) Holt – 140 (16.75%) Johnstown – 152 (21.50%) Little Acton – 45 (10.63%) Llangollen Rural – 57 (13.29%) Llay – 268 (26.24%) Maesydre – 112 (27.36%t) Marchwiel – 97 (20.90%) Marford and Hoseley – 36 (8.41%) Minera – 65 (14.09%) New Broughton – 291 (31.44%) Offa – 130 (29.51%) Overton – 142 (20.94%) Pant – 233 (38.21%) Penycae – 210 (34.73%) Penycae and Ruabon South – 112 (21.77%) Plas Madoc – 333 (47.95%) Ponciau – 262 (27.59%) Queensway – 454 (48.81%) Rhosnesni – 78 (9.95%) Rossett – 77 (11.73%) Ruabon – 170 (25.14%) Smithfield – 162 (31.53%) Stansty – 81 (22.59%) Whitegate – 219 (33.22%) Wynnstay – 300 (45.12%)

The number of children per ward in Flintshire living in poverty after housing costs are accounted for:

Flintshire (total) – 7,726 (23.71 per cent)

Argoed – 99 (17.39%) Aston – 148 (22.25%) Bagillt East – 149 (34.21%) Bagillt West – 182 (33.39 per cent) Broughton North East – 129 (26.15%) Broughton South – 133 (16.87%) Brynford – 68 (18.77%) Buckley Bistre East – 120 (18.05%) Buckley Bistre West – 291 (28.70%) Buckley Mountain – 117 (18.30%) Buckley Pentrobin – 160 (15.49%) Caergwrle – 58 (19.69%) Caerwys – 80 (18.19%) Cilcain – 17 (5.63%) Connah’s Quay Central – 319 (42.01%) Connah’s Quay Golftyn – 385 (26.49 per cent) Connah’s Quay South – 205 (16.74%) Connah’s Quay Wepre – 100 (21.09%) Ewloe – 101 (8.68%) Ffynnongroyw – 101 (29.84%) Flint Castle – 147 (28.60%) Flint Coleshill – 214 (22.98%) Flint Oakenholt – 262 (34.26%) Flint Trelawny – 141 (18.73%) Greenfield – 218 (30.27%) Gronant – 135 (41.54%) Gwernaffield – 70 (20.28%) Gwernymynydd – 53 (17.03%) Halkyn – 38 (11.99%) Hawarden – 38 (12.74%) Higher Kinnerton – 3 (0.82%) Holywell Central – 195 (38.14%) Holywell East – 104 (24.83%) Holywell West – 157 (28.10%) Hope – 65 (11.64%) Leeswood – 114 (24%) Llanfynydd – 55 (18.47%) Mancot – 152 (21.66%) Mold Broncoed – 173 (32.71%) Mold East – 90 (23.71%) Mold South – 6 (1%) Mold West – 193 (31.39%) Mostyn – 174 (38.15%) New Brighton – 48 (8.5%) Northop – 79 (14.08%) Northop Hall – 20 (7.29%) Penyffordd – 147 (19%) Queensferry – 125 (28.31%) Saltney Mold Junction – 129 (37.93%) Saltney Stonebridge – 236 (27.64%) Sealand – 240 (32.45%) Shotton East – 73 (20.33%) Shotton Higher – 350 (47.28%) Shotton West – 101 (24.44%) Trelawnyd and Gwaenysgor – 121 (36.70%) Treuddyn – 59 (17.09%) Whitford – 29 (6.16%)