It is a national scandal that 14 million people, including 4.1 million children, are living in poverty - Greenwood

Margaret Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on new Government figures showing 14 million people are living in poverty and another rise in pensioner poverty, said:

“These shocking figures highlight the devastating impact of austerity on families across the country.

“It is a national scandal that 14 million people, including 4.1 million children, are living in poverty in one of the richest countries in the world.

"Pensioner poverty is on the rise, with 2 million pensioners now in poverty.

“The Government must wake up to these figures, end the benefit freeze and stop the rollout of Universal Credit which is pushing people into poverty.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• ·         There are eight million working-age adults living in poverty, an increase of 200,000 under the Conservatives.

DWP, Household below Average Income statistics, Table 5b: Estimated number of working-age adults in relative/absolute low income, 28 March 2019,

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201718?utm_source=f79f634a-cff4-47d5-8e90-d637cdd900d7&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

• There are 4.1 million children living in poverty, an increase of 500,000 under the Conservatives.

DWP, Household below Average Income statistics, Table 4b: Estimated number of children in relative/absolute low income, 28 March 2019,

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201718?utm_source=f79f634a-cff4-47d5-8e90-d637cdd900d7&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

• ·         There are two million pensioners living in poverty, an increase of 400,000 under the Conservatives.

DWP, Household below Average Income statistics, Table 6b: Estimated number of pensioners in relative/absolute low income, United Kingdom, 28 March 2019,

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201718?utm_source=f79f634a-cff4-47d5-8e90-d637cdd900d7&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate