Almost half of Ayrshire kids are living in poverty

Oct 10 2008 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

ALMOST 50 per cent of children in Ayrshire are living in poverty.

A stark report shows the huge number of kids living in households on or below the poverty line.

An alarming 47 per cent of children in Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock live in low income households where no-one works more than 16 hours per week.

Families receiving the full amount of Working Tax Credit also fall into the category.

The report, published by the Campaign to End Child Poverty, has been met with concern by Ayr MSP John Scott.

He said: “The gap between the richest and the poorest in society is the greatest since records began and, as this report shows, a high proportion of children here in South Ayrshire are living in households that are on or below the poverty line.

“That must be a matter of serious concern to all of us, and underlines the need for real action to narrow the gap between disadvantaged families and the rest of society, especially as, according to the Government’s own figures, the number of children in poverty has risen by 100,000 for the second year in a row.

“While the problem here in South Ayrshire is not on the same scale as that found in, for example, parts of Glasgow, it simply cannot be acceptable for more than four out of every 10 local children to have to grow up with that level of social disadvantage.”