More than a fifth of children across South Yorkshire are living in poverty, according to a survey.
But rates vary widely between constituencies, standing at more than a third in Brightside and Hillsborough, but under one in 20 in Sheffield Hallam.
The Campaign to End Child Poverty has based its calculations on the numbers of children living in households where parents are on benefits, in receipt of tax credits, or where income is less than the median national level of £26,500.
According to the study, the average percentage of children in poverty is 22 per cent in Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster, and 21 per cent in Rotherham.
The national average is 20.2 per cent, while Leeds is 20 per cent and Bradford is 24 per cent but affluent York has a figure of 11 per cent.
The statistics vary more widely when comparing Parliamentary constituencies.
In Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough has 34 per cent of children living in poverty, but the level in Hallam is five per cent, one of the lowest in the country.
Proportions of children in child poverty are 29 per cent in Sheffield Central, 24 per cent in Heeley, and 20 per cent in Sheffield South East.
Nationally, the poorest constituency for children is Manchester Central, with 47 per cent of children in poverty.
Enver Solomon, who chairs the Campaign to End Child Poverty, said: “The child poverty map reveals the depth and breadth of child poverty.
“We’re calling on authorities to prioritise low income families in decisions about welfare spending.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: “We want to tackle the root causes including worklessness, educational failure and family breakdown.”
Comments