18,000 children of public sector workers in the North East pushed into poverty

Almost 18,000 children in the North East with a parent working in the public sector are now living in poverty according to new TUC analysis published today.

Since 2010, the region has seen 4,000 more children fall into poverty since 2010 - that's a 37% increase.

The TUC research also shows that by April 2018, 1 in 7 children in the UK (550,000) in public sector working families will be living below the official poverty line as a result of the public sector pay cap, tax and benefit changes.

The analysis shows:

• An extra 150,000 children with at least one parent working in the public sector will be below the poverty line this April – an increase of 40% since 2010.

• Families where both parents work in the public sector are the biggest losers from the Government’s pay restrictions and benefit changes. Their average household income will be down £83 each week in real terms by April 2018.

• Households where one parent works in the public sector and another works in the private sector will lose on average £53 a week.

Separate TUC analysis shows that holding down public servants’ pay reduced spending power in the North East region by £2.1 billion since 2010.

The average North East public sector worker today earns £2323 less than if their pay had risen in line with inflation (CPI).

TUC Regional Secretary for the North East, Beth Farhat said:

"Ministers must give nurses, teachers and other public sector workers the pay rise they have earned or more families will continue falling into poverty.”