IPPR - Revealed: Nearly half of UK children with parents born abroad are in poverty

7 Mar 2025 03:22 PM

Hundreds of thousands of children in the UK from migrant families are affected by poverty and are being held back in life, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

 

The think tank warns that the upcoming child poverty strategy, expected to be published in Spring, will fail unless it addresses the deepening crisis of hardship amongst children with parents born outside of the UK.

New analysis by IPPR reveals how children in migrant families, many of whom were born in the UK themselves and may have one British parent, are disproportionately affected by poverty:

The research says children with migrant parents are more likely than other children to not have their own bedrooms, go on school trips, have a hobby, have friends over, celebrate special occasions, and eat nutritious food.

This has long-term consequences for children who are likely to spend their entire lives in the UK. Growing up in poverty harms their future health and career prospects, increasing potential costs to society and the economy.

The report outlines key reasons for why migrant families are disproportionately affected by poverty. These include legal barriers such as the ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) condition, which prohibits parents from receiving benefits including universal credit, child benefit, and personal independence payment, as well as social housing and homelessness assistance.

Other reasons include institutional barriers such as steep visa and legal fees – for example the £1,258 cost to extend leave to remain on family visas – as well as practical and social barriers such as discrimination, stigma and language barriers.

The authors of the report spoke to migrant families who are living in poverty:

The government’s pledge to reduce child poverty through a cross-government taskforce offers an opportunity to drastically improve the lives of young people with families on low incomes – however, it can’t ignore children with migrant parents, says the think tank. IPPR recommends:

Amreen Qureshi, research fellow at IPPR, said:

“Our new research lays bare the scale of child poverty in migrant families. Families who have lived, worked, and contributed to the UK for years are being locked out of support and forced into poverty. No child should go without food, clothing, or a safe home simply because of their parents’ immigration status.  

"The upcoming child poverty strategy is a crucial moment for the government to address some of the causes of poverty that lie within our migration system. If they get this right, not only will it enable them to make strides in their efforts to bring down child poverty, they could also help remove some of the huge financial pressures on cash strapped local councils.”

Amreen Qureshi and Marley Morris, the report’s authors, are available for interview  

Case studies are available for interview

CONTACT

NOTES TO EDITORS