MORE than one in six children live below the poverty line in Knutsford, according to a new study.

The Campaign to End Child Poverty published new figures that provide a child poverty map of the whole of the UK last week.

The figures, which are based on how many children live in households with below 60 percent of median income, revealed that one in ten (10.2 percent) children in Knutsford are classified as below the poverty line before housing costs.

Once housing costs have been deducted from the family income that figure rises to 16.4 percent – which equates to one in six children.

These figures are slightly below the Cheshire East average, which is 10.9 percent before housing costs and 17.5 percent after housing costs, but is considerably lower the national average of 15.9 percent before housing costs and 25.1 percent after housing costs.

Knutsford ward ranks 14th in the borough for the highest child poverty percentage.

Speaking about the findings, Clr Stewart Gardiner, ward member for Knutsford, said: “I was somewhat surprised at our ranking but was aware that child-poverty is an issue for a significant minority within Knutsford.

“As a school governor for Manor Park Primary I see first-hand what this means for some children. I for one have always thought that resources, where ever possible, should be concentrated on the poorest in our society and see a good education as a way of helping.”

In terms of constituency breakdown, the findings revealed that in Tatton the number of children living in out of work poverty – where neither parent works – stands at 1,447.

Surprisingly, the children living in ‘in work’ poverty outstrips this figure by 62 per cent, with 2,337 children living in poverty in households where one or both parents work.

Chair of End Child Poverty David Holmes said: “These figures just how widely and deeply child poverty reaches into our communities, even those areas generally regarded as well off.

“Far too many children whose parents are struggling to make a living are suffering as a result and missing out on the essentials of a decent childhood that all young people should be entitled to. We can and must do better for our children.

“Poverty ruins childhoods and reduces life chances. Failing to invest properly in children is a false economy: already child poverty costs the country £29bn each year and in the long run taxpayers will foot an even higher bill for correcting the damage.

“We are calling on politicians of all parties to urgently set out a clear roadmap towards ending child poverty which includes the additional actions needed and the measures by which progress will be tracked."