Child and Family Poverty in Wales survey 2016
For the past two years, Children in Wales has published a report, Child and Family Poverty in Wales: A snapshot of key issues raised by families (2014) (2015). We are repeating the survey for 2016 to give us an up to date picture of poverty in Wales and to identify trends over the three year period. Government figures published in June 2016 show that 29% of all children in Wales are living in poverty. Children are said to be living in poverty if they live in families with an income below 60% of the median income.
The previous surveys identified the following as the most common poverty related issues raised by families:
* The impact of Welfare Reform and associated changes to the benefit system
* Housing (in relation to sufficiency and availability of social housing, and housing quality)
* Impact of the Bedroom Tax or spare bedroom subsidy
* Food Poverty (including the increase in the use of foodbanks)
* Debt
* Energy costs
* Rising cost of living (including families struggling with everyday essential costs)
Common poverty related problems were intensified for lone parent families, families with a disabled child or parent, large families and families living in rural communities.
How much has changed in the past year?
We are keen to hear from you, as a member organisation, to help us understand what the main poverty related issues currently facing children and families in Wales are today and how much this has changed over the past year. We are interested to hear about ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ changes, or where there has been little or no change.
Your information will help us in our work with policy makers.
If you have, and are able to share any case examples from practice to support your answers, we would also be very keen to receive these. Please anonymize any examples you share.
The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VQSL23K
