Tackling Childhood Poverty and Disability in the North East: A Landmark Investment and Intention for the Future

Strategic Insights -

The North East Combined Authority's £28.6 million Child Poverty Action Plan is a significant investment aimed at addressing the complex issue of childhood poverty and disability in the region. Research highlights the financial pressures faced by families with a disabled child, with Scope's Disability Price Tag 2025 report revealing that disabled households need an extra £1,095 each month to maintain the same standard of living as non-disabled households. Family Fund's Cost of Caring 2025 report shows that 44% of families experience income insufficiency, while Contact's Counting the Costs 2024 report reveals that 50% of families have gotten into debt or borrowed money to pay for basics.

Key Takeaways:

  • The North East Combined Authority's Child Poverty Action Plan aims to tackle childhood poverty and disability in the region, with a focus on creating a place where every baby, child, and young person can thrive and achieve their potential.
  • Families with a disabled child face significant financial pressures, with disabled households needing an extra £1,095 each month to maintain the same standard of living as non-disabled households.
  • 44% of families with a disabled child experience income insufficiency, meaning they cannot meet day-to-day expenses despite receiving benefits.
  • 50% of families have gotten into debt or borrowed money to pay for basics, with 20% of those families stating that their child's condition has worsened because of not being able to afford essentials.
  • The plan's short-term objectives can be commended, but families with a disabled child are still being asked to put their lives on hold while local and national strategy decides their fate.
  • The North East Combined Authority's plan is a positive step forward, but it is crucial to have difficult conversations about the scale of the challenges faced by disabled children and how to make a difference as regional pioneers.

Statistics:

  • £28.6 million: The total investment allocated to the Child Poverty Action Plan.
  • 44%: The percentage of families with a disabled child who experience income insufficiency.
  • £1,095: The additional amount that disabled households need each month to maintain the same standard of living as non-disabled households.
  • 50%: The percentage of families who have gotten into debt or borrowed money to pay for basics.
  • 20%: The percentage of families who stated that their child's condition has worsened because of not being able to afford essentials.

Sources:

  • The North East Combined Authority's Child Poverty Action Plan
  • Scope's Disability Price Tag 2025 report
  • Family Fund's Cost of Caring 2025 report
  • Contact's Counting the Costs 2024 report
  • The Sunshine Fund's 5-year strategy to grow their impact and close the gap between what children need and what the system provides.