inequality
population
Additional local detail in the Greater West of England, 2023/24
This data insight describes the characteristics of children living in poverty before housing costs (BHC) in the Greater West of England (GWE), and how these patterns have changed over time. It highlights how child poverty varies across age groups, family types and economic activity, showing that poverty is not experienced uniformly across the population. The data reveal which groups are most affected as well as shifts in these patterns in recent years. Together, these insights provide a clearer picture of who is most affected by child poverty and how these patterns are evolving across the region.
The indicators cover the Greater West of England and the UK based on the latest available data for 2023/24. The Greater West of England is a bespoke geography defined here as Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.
The analysis is based on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Households Below Average Income (HBAI) dataset, with local breakdowns informed by Loughborough University’s child poverty analysis. Figures are derived from administrative tax and benefit records and measure children in living in households with incomes below 60% of the contemporary median, before housing costs.
55.8%
Percentage of children in lone-parent families in the Greater West of England that are in poverty
71.06%
Percentage of children in poverty in the Greater West of England that live in working families
+18,054
Additional children in the Greater West of England living in poverty among lone-parent families (2018/19-2023/24)
+9,050
Increase in 11-15 year olds living in poverty in the Greater West of England (2018/19-2023/24)
Characteristics of the Greater West of England children in poverty, 2023/24
This visualisation shows the percentage of children in relative poverty Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the Greater West of England in 2023/24. Comparisons are made with UK averages across age group, family type and work status.
The data suggest that child poverty rates in the Greater West of England broadly mirror national patterns, particularly by age group, where differences between the Greater West of England and the UK are minimal (~30% for 5-10 and 11-15 year olds in both areas). This indicates that age-related poverty risk is relatively consistent across the region and nationally.
However, more notable differences appear by family type and work status. Across both regions, lone-parent families experience higher poverty rates compared to couple families.
There is a high proportion of children in poverty who live in working families; 71.06% in the Greater West of England versus 68.59% in the UK.
Recent changes in child poverty by characteristic
This visualisation shows the five-year change in the number of children in relative poverty before housing costs in the Greater West of England, 2018/19 – 2023/24. The data are broken down by age group, family type and work status. It reveals an increase in child poverty in the last five years in the Greater West of England. This increase is not evenly distributed across characteristics.
The largest increases are among 11-15 year olds (+9,050) and 5-10 year olds (+5,902), suggesting that poverty pressures are intensifying for school-aged children more so than the youngest cohort (+865 for ages 0-4).
The number of children in relative poverty increased more among lone-parent families (+18,054) than among couple families (+2,333) over the period.
The increase among children in working families (+12,062) was larger than among those in non-working families (+8,328), a difference of 3,734.
