Child poverty in the North East

That this House notes that more than one in three children and young people are growing up in poverty in the North East and this figure rises to 42 per cent for children under the age of five; further notes that with a rise from 26 per cent to 35 percent the North East experienced the steepest increase in child poverty rates of anywhere in the country between 2014-15 and 2018-19; recognises the serious impact that childhood poverty can have on children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, education and life chances; welcomes the cross-sector support from the region for urgent and ongoing action to tackle growing levels of child poverty, including from the North East Child Poverty Commission, North East Chamber of Commerce and Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East; acknowledges the findings of a recent End Child Poverty survey that less than one in five people think the Government is doing all it can to tackle this issue; and calls on the Chancellor to ensure that the Budget on 3 March 2021 sets out a cross-Departmental plan to tackle child poverty by raising family incomes, including by retaining the £20 a week uplift to universal credit for at least 12 months and committing to increasing child-related benefits in the near future.