Powys child poverty reaches six-year high prompting calls for radical plan to help kids
About 20 per cent of children in Powys were growing up in poverty in the year 2019 to 2020.
The figure, recorded by the Department for Work and Pensions was an estimated six-year high.
Alison Alexander, the Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for Montgomeryshire said the figures show the need for a radical plan to give the region’s children a better start in life.
She said current could be higher because of lost incomes over the period of COVID-19.
“We need to be doing much more to tackle the problem," she said.
“We need to make hardship history. We need a living wage nation, better public transport, more support for those with caring responsibilities – a whole raft of measures that will have a huge effect over time.
“But straight away we can focus our efforts on areas in which the children affected by poverty stand to gain the most immediately."
She said that the Welsh Liberal Democrats were campaigning for free high-quality childcare from age nine months, expanded before and after school care, and childcare during holidays.
"So many families have told me about the burden extortionate childcare costs are placing on their family budgets or that going back to work simply doesn’t pay.
“The policy not only removes a huge burden on family finances, but allows more women to go back to work, have a greater choice in the work they are doing and frees up money to be spent in the local economy.”
“We also want to see free school meals continued throughout all holidays, making sure children aren’t suffering from holiday hunger. "
