Report Warns Child Poverty in London Remains “Unacceptably High”

(MENAFN) Child poverty in London continues to reach “unacceptably high” levels, with at least one in five children living in poverty after housing costs in every borough except one, according to a new report released on Wednesday.

The study, titled Tackling Child Poverty in London, found that more than 700,000 children in the capital were living in poverty as of 2025.

“Child poverty in London remains unacceptably high. In every London borough except one, at least one in five children live in poverty after housing costs, and in some boroughs the rate approaches half of all children,” the London-based think tank stated.

The report highlighted stark differences between boroughs, noting that Tower Hamlets has the highest child poverty rate at 47%, while Richmond upon Thames has the lowest at 15%. It identified housing costs as the primary driver of child poverty, pointing out that London’s rate is actually lower than the national average before accounting for housing expenses.

The Centre for London referenced the government’s recently published strategy, Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty, which outlines a 10-year plan to reduce child poverty nationwide. While the report acknowledged that the strategy contains measures that could benefit children in poverty in London, it warned that gaps remain that could hinder progress.

“The strategy does not set specific numerical targets and does not clearly articulate the role of local or regional government, though many levers sit at the local or regional level,” the study said.

It also cautioned that the ongoing freeze to the Local Housing Allowance and the continuation of the overall benefit cap will significantly limit the benefit system’s ability to protect families in London from falling into poverty.

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