Tony Lloyd hits out at government on Rochdale's child poverty 'scandal'

Rochdale’s MP, Tony Lloyd, delivered a hard-hitting speech in the House of Commons this week, highlighting shocking figures which show that Rochdale has one of the highest numbers of children living in poverty in the UK.

Mr Lloyd called the level of child poverty rates in the town a ‘scandal’ as he asked Will Quince MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who is responsible for Universal Credit, to reassure them they would be part of “a genuine levelling-up process with money in their pockets.”

Speaking in the house, Mr Lloyd said: “In my Rochdale constituency, no ward has fewer than one in five children living in poverty.

“Some wards have over half of all children living in poverty, and the bulk of those have parents who are working. That is a scandal.

“What is also a scandal is that the Minister insists that work always pays and keeps people out of poverty. It does not.

“What can he say to my constituents to assure them that they will be part of a genuine levelling-up process, with money in their pockets and their children not living in poverty?”

Data published by the Department of Work and Pensions shows the Rochdale borough has one of the highest numbers of children living in poverty in the UK, with 26% of children (under 16) living in absolute poverty.
 

Read more: Rochdale borough has one of the highest numbers of children living in poverty in the UKPublished: 26 July 2020

The figures place Rochdale as one of the most impoverished regions in the UK - 12th - and fourth most impoverished in Greater Manchester.

Responding, Will Quince MP said: “When the opportunity allows, I would be delighted to visit the hon. Gentleman’s constituency.

“I would say to him, however, that a child growing up in a home where all the adults are working is around five times less likely to be in poverty than a child in a household where nobody works.

“That is why our relentless focus is on supporting and empowering people into work, and progressing in work.

“As I said, we have a benefits system with Universal Credit, unlike the system proposed by Labour, that incentivises and encourages work - that is the key.”

Tony later added: “We have seen child poverty growing over the years, as austerity has begun to bite.

“I raised this with Ministers, who made the ludicrous claim that work always pays and keeps people out of poverty. It doesn't.

“The sad thing is, the Conservative Government appears to be oblivious to this, or seems uncaring.

“Universal Credit claims, whether those in work or those who are not able to work, will see a massive £20 cut from that benefit in September.

“This is a bitter blow for those families and those children, because we know that poverty leads to ill health, and it leads to less adequate education. Yet there is nothing in the Queen's Speech that addresses these concerns. That is why I am calling on the government to present a clear strategy to deal with child poverty.”