New figures show 13 million in poverty in UK including four million children

The number of people living in poverty in the UK has risen by almost half a million, according to new figures.

There were an estimated 13.40 million individuals in households below the poverty line in the year 2024/25, according to the latest Government data.

This was up from an estimated 12.93 million people in 2023/24, the figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed.

Households where income is less than 60% of the median national average, after housing costs, are considered to be living in poverty.

The data showed a slight fall in the number of children living in poverty.

There were an estimated 4.03 million children in relative low income after housing costs in the year 2024/25, compared with an estimated 4.04 million the previous year.

Child poverty has been a major focus for the Labour Government, which recently scrapped the controversial two-child benefit limit, a policy that had restricted child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households.

But as the legislation does not come into effect until next month, and the poverty statistics operate on a 12-month lag, the impact of the rule change will not be evident until the figures for 2026/27, which are likely to be published in spring 2028.

The Government has estimated that removing the two-child limit will lift 450,000 children out of poverty by the end of 2029/30.

The Child Poverty Action Group said: “Growing up in poverty damages children’s everyday lives and future chances.

“Removal of the two-child limit next month is an important first step in making life better for kids.

“With four million children living in poverty, government will have to invest in sustained support for children and families to meet its ambition to give every child the best start.”

A change to the method of calculating poverty means the figures published on Thursday are for each year from 2021/22 to 2024/25.

Direct comparisons are not possible with estimates produced using the old method.