CHILD poverty in working households has increased by 44 per cent in the north-west in the last 13 years, according to new analysis.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) found that 383,500 children in the region were living in poverty in 2023 despite their parents being in work. This is an increase of 116,800 from 2010 which saw the number sitting at 266,700.

These figures are based on the UK Family Resources Survey which the Government uses in its official statistics. 

John Stevenson, former Carlisle MP, said: "Since 2010 the Conservatives have reduced the number of children living in absolute poverty by 400,000.

"Households where parents are in work reduce the likelihood of childhood poverty substantially – and it is clear that the only true route out of poverty is good quality employment.

"Since 2010 there are now 4.1 million more people in work."

Julie Minns, the new Labour MP for Carlisle, said: “That is fundamentally wrong in a wealthy country like ours. These are the children of working parents who simply don’t earn enough to give their kids a good start in life.

“That’s a national disgrace and it will be a high priority for an incoming Labour government to rectify.”

The TUC claims that wage stagnation, rising insecure work and cuts to social security have had a 'devastating impact' on family budgets. 

Further analysis found that last year there were three million children in working households living below the breadline in the UK.

Brian Wernham, who was the Liberal Democrat candidate in the seat, said: "It is horrendous that the Conservatives and also the Labour Party want to continue with the cruel cap on benefits where a working mother is trying to hold the family together and has a third child but that third child will not receive any benefits at all."

Gavin Hawkton, who was the Green Party candidate, added: "It's no longer a surprise that the Conservatives continue to fail our most vulnerable.

"What I think people need to understand is that Labour won't be far behind them with their unwillingness to abolish the two-child benefit cap that locks children into poverty. The Green Party is clear that this cap needs to be abolished."