Disability and Poverty: A Complex Issue in the North East of England

The North East of England has one of the highest prevalence rates of disability in England, with families with a disabled child being twice as likely to live in poverty compared to those without a disabled child. The launch of the £28.6m Child Poverty Action Plan by the North East Combined Authority aims to tackle this deep-rooted issue, but as the head of a charity supporting disabled children, the author is concerned about the lack of explicit support for vulnerable groups. Despite reports highlighting the financial pressures faced by families with a disabled child, the national figures around disabled children services suggest that this is a vulnerable group who have been forgotten. The author calls for real inclusion and effective poverty metrics to be embedded into poverty strategies, while also working to remove structural barriers faced by parent carers.

Key Takeaways:

• The North East of England has the highest prevalence rate of disability in England, with 1.4 million people living with a disability.
• Families with a disabled child are twice as likely to live in poverty compared to those without a disabled child.
• The Child Poverty Action Plan aims to change the story for future generations and ensure that no child grows up without the basics.
• The plan's vision is to create a place where every baby, child, and young person is supported to thrive and achieve their potential.
• Scope's Disability Price Tag 2025 report shows that disabled households need an extra £1,095 per month to have the same standard of living as a non-disabled household.
• Family Fund's Cost of Caring 2025 report revealed that 44% of families experience income insufficiency, meaning they cannot meet day-to-day expenses despite receiving benefits.
• Contact's Counting the Costs 2024 report suggests that 50% of families surveyed have got into debt or borrowed money to pay for basics.
• Cuts to services, unimaginable deficits in SEND provision, and charities being asked to bridge a gap due to lack of funding are creating a crisis for disabled children.
• The author calls for real inclusion, effective poverty metrics, and removing structural barriers faced by parent carers to address the scale of challenges disabled children face.
• The Child Poverty Action Plan has short-term objectives that can be commended, but long-term strategies are needed to tackle poverty and disability.

Statistics:

• 1.4 million people in the North East of England live with a disability (Source: [Disable Oxford 2020])
• 1,736,000 children and young people in England have a disability (Source: [Scope Disability Price Tag 2025])
• Families with a disabled child are twice as likely to live in poverty compared to those without a disabled child (Source: [Disabled Children's Partnership 2020])
• Disabled households need an extra £1,095 per month to have the same standard of living as a non-disabled household (Source: [Scope Disability Price Tag 2025])
• 44% of families experience income insufficiency, meaning they cannot meet day-to-day expenses despite receiving benefits (Source: [Family Fund Cost of Caring 2025])
• 50% of families surveyed have got into debt or borrowed money to pay for basics (Source: [Contact Counting the Costs 2024])
• The North East Combined Authority has allocated £28.6m for the Child Poverty Action Plan (Source: [North East Combined Authority 2022])

Sources:

• [Disable Oxford 2020]: Oxfordshire County Council, Disabilitiy Data Factsheet
• [Scope Disability Price Tag 2025]: Scope, Disability Price Tag 2025 Report
• [Disabled Children's Partnership 2020]: Disabled Children's Partnership, The State of the Nation's Disabled Children Report
• [Family Fund Cost of Caring 2025]: Family Fund, Cost of Caring 2025 Report
• [Contact Counting the Costs 2024]: Contact, Counting the Costs 2024 Report
• [North East Combined Authority 2022]: North East Combined Authority, Child Poverty Action Plan