Child poverty is ‘rising rapidly’ in Britain’s poorest communities, a report has warned today.

The analysis of government data by the End Child Poverty shows that children in some areas were six times more likely to be growing up in poverty than their neighbours in less deprived areas.

The North of England and West Midlands have seen the most dramatic rises in the proportion of children living below the poverty line, the research found.

The coalition wants that the current crisis could push more families over the edge. It is calling on the Government to set out an ambitious strategy to end child poverty.

Anna Feuchtwang, chair of End Child Poverty and chief executive of the National Children’s Bureau, said: ‘The government’s data shows the extent to which over the past four years, children in low income families have been cut adrift and are already experiencing unacceptable hardship through cuts and freezes to the benefits system.

‘Our country’s children are now at severe risk of being swept deeper into poverty as a result of the pandemic and lockdown. This is why we are asking the government to strengthen the social security system which is there to hold us steady during tough times, by immediately increasing household income for those least well-off.’