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Four million children now live in poverty – and as such are at a higher risk of entering child protection system

Four million children across the UK are now living in poverty after a rise of 100,000 was recorded in the latest official statistics.

Figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions show that 30 per cent of children – around four million – are now living in UK households with a relative low income after housing costs.

The figures are for 2015/16 and represent a one per cent rise on 2014/15.

A household is judged to have relative low income if it earns below 60 per cent of the median income for the UK. The current median income is £481 a week before housing costs (about £25,100 a year) and £413 after housing costs (about £21,500 a year).

The latest figures also show that 67 per cent of children in poverty have at least one parent in work – up from 66 per cent in 2014/15.

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