FIGURES this week revealed the shocking extent child poverty in Edmonton, home to one of the largest Turkish-speaking populations in London.
Almost half of children – 43 per cent – are living in poverty according to the Child Poverty Action Group charity, making it the fifth highest area in the UK.
A similar proportion was reported in nearby Tottenham, where 42 per cent of children were found to be in poverty.
The figures suggest that almost one in six children in the UK is classified as below the poverty line.
The borough of Enfield – which includes Edmonton – was seventh highest in the country: more than a third (37 per cent) live in poverty. Haringey, which covers Tottenham, ranked eleventh on the same list.
Enfield Council leader Councillor Doug Taylor told the Enfield Independent that he believed the government needed to do more to help Enfield tackle poverty.
He said: “We accept there are pockets of deprivation and child poverty in Enfield, and we are actively working to address these issues. It is a great pity that Government does not provide the resources to tackle this in the way we would like to.
Andy Love, Edmonton MP, added that the figures should set off “alarm bells” within the Government.
He told the paper: “Child poverty reduces life chances and leaves so many young people living miserable childhoods. It is particularly worrying to learn that the Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts that it will raise further still over the coming years.
“We need a long term consensus for reducing child poverty. This could start with reversing recent welfare reforms which have left so many more local people on the bread line.”
Mr Taylor said the council was “arguing for investment from the government, providing new homes and jobs through major regeneration schemes in the borough, improving standards of attainment in our schools – as evidenced through improving GCSE and A-level results and by getting more people into work.
“However child poverty is directly related to low incomes and Government policy is not helping to change that.”
Nick de Bois, Enfield North MP, added: “We’re doing more than ever to help children, the attainment gap for deprived pupils has fallen and we’ve just seen the largest fall in unemployment since 1988.
“The Government remains committed to the goal of ending child poverty by 2020, and has already made great strides, with 300,000 fewer children in relative poverty and 290,000 fewer children growing up in workless families.”
