A MAP has laid bare the UK’s poverty crisis with half of kids living below the breadline in the hardest-hit areas.

The findings, compiled by the Sun based on data released by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, shows 14.4million people – or 22% – are living in poverty.

The average poverty rates in England (22%), Wales (21%) and Scotland (21%) converged at around the same level, while
poverty rates were much lower in Northern Ireland at 17%.

Meanwhile, the data shows that child poverty rates in Scotland (24%) are considerably lower than those in England (30%) and Wales (29%).

In Northern Ireland, the rate is a lower but nonetheless alarming 23%.

By 2029, it is estimated that almost one in three children in England will be below the breadline.

“We can’t expect children to be ready for school or able to learn if they’re going without the basics”, fumed JRF chief executive Paul Kissack.

“Growing up in poverty can also lead to poor health, increasing pressure on the NHS.

“Child poverty will only be driven down through focused, deliberate and determined policy action.

“Even very strong economic growth won’t automatically change the picture.”  

“Policy action must start with the system designed to help people meet their costs of living – social security.

“At the moment that system is not only failing to do its job but, worse, actively pushing some people into deeper poverty, through cruel limits and caps.”

The fresh findings ranked the West Midlands first for its poverty levels across the board at 27%.

Nipping at its heels is the North West (25%).

London follows closely behind at 24%, while Yorkshire and the Humber slumped at fourth with 23%.

With the exception of the Big Smoke, around three in 10 of working adults are unemployed in those areas.

Lower down, one in five Brits in the East, South East and South West of England are out of work.

“Currently, our social security system doesn’t reflect the cost of life’s essentials as well as the reality that some families have higher costs or need to make one income stretch further, including larger families and lone parent families,” the JRF said.

“These families are disproportionately impacted by specific welfare policies such as the two-child limit and cap on benefits.”

The shocking findings have attracted sharp criticism from politicians.

“From their refusal to scrap the two child benefit cap and their heartless decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payments, this government has done next to nothing to tackle the growing poverty pandemic in this county,” Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said.

“Ministers need to reverse these policies or we will continue to see these intolerable situations.

“It’s heartbreaking that so many people are still struggling to afford the very basics – with the numbers only growing.

“And it’s unacceptable that in 2025, families have to worry how they’ll keep a roof over their children’s heads, and some pensioners have to choose between heating and eating. 

“This deep poverty is a scar on the nation made by the Conservative Party but the Labour government has so far just sat on its hands.”