More than 100,000 children are currently living in poverty in Cheshire and Merseyside, according to a report.

The study, commissioned by regional public health directors, found that 60% of children in poverty lived in households with working parents or carers.

Health officials have joined forces to call for urgent action to end child and family poverty, saying it is “ruining lives”.

The government has announced it is creating an “ambitious strategy” to reduce child poverty and plans to introduce free breakfast clubs in all primary schools.

‘Suffering’

The report found that 22.3% of children under 16 in Cheshire and Merseyside (100,300) lived in low-income families, compared to a national average of 19.8%.

Regional leaders from public health, the NHS, children’s services and the voluntary sector responded to the report with a statement, calling the findings “outrageous”.

They are calling for urgent coordinated local and national action to ensure all partners work together to deliver a shared ambition: that no child in Cheshire and Merseyside lives in poverty.

“Poverty strikes children before they are born, stays with them throughout their lives and continues to cause harm for many generations,” the leaders said.

“It destroys lives and has profound consequences for society and the economy.”

The statement said children living in poverty are more likely to be obese, suffer from asthma and mental health problems.

“These children, who deserve to be born into a world that offers them all the conditions and opportunities they need to flourish, are instead suffering,” he said.

“This is an injustice and it must stop. Our ambition is that no child in Cheshire and Merseyside lives in poverty.”

In July, the government announced the creation of a new Child Poverty Unit, which aims to bring together experts from across government.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: “No child should live in poverty, which is why our new cross-government taskforce will develop an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty and give children the best start in life.

“Alongside this urgent work, we will be introducing free breakfast clubs in all primary schools as we deliver our plan to grow the economy and make work pay for hard-working families in every part of the country.”

The BBC has contacted Merseyside and Cheshire councils for comment.

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