WIREDGOV

“Every child deserves a decent standard of living. Yet today’s figures lay bare the shocking reality faced by thousands of children across the North East, many of which have working parents.

“The government promised to ‘level up’ and ‘build back fairer’. However, their policies have only widened the gap and left families in our region even further behind.

“Families are facing a cost-of-living crisis, which is only going to get worse as the winter sets in and energy prices continue to rise. Parents should not have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table.

“We demand better than this. Government, regardless of who they are led by, must get pay rising, address the blight of insecure work and reform our social security system so that it provides decent support for all who need it.”