Ministers have been urged to reform the benefits system to tackle child poverty after a report found child poverty is a major cause of mental illness which “casts a shadow” on young people’s wellbeing.
The report by the Centre for Mental Health, Save the Children UK and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition found that the number of children living in poverty in the UK has risen to 4.3 million, while one in five children and young people aged eight to 24 has a diagnosable mental health problem.
The report found that children from the poorest families are four times more likely to have mental health problems than children from the most affluent families.
The charities advised the government to overhaul the benefits system to reduce child poverty, establish mental health teams in every school in England, extend the provision of free school meals to all children in households receiving universal credit, and link the annual increase in the free school meal allowance to inflation.
The research comes as Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure to abolish the two-child benefit threshold, after research suggests it would lift 250,000 children out of poverty and have consequences for their mental health.
The Labour leader suspended seven of his MPs on Tuesday night after they rebelled against the government and voted in favour of a Scottish National Party amendment calling for the abolition of the benefits cap.
The report also warned of the “twin crises of poverty and mental health”, saying the higher risk of poverty faced by children from ethnic minorities “exacerbates the impact of racism and discrimination on children’s mental health”.
Priya Edwards, policy and advocacy advisor at Save the Children UK, said: “A childhood plagued by poverty and poor mental health leads to terrible outcomes for young people that sadly affect them for the rest of their lives. Families deserve better than constant anxiety about making ends meet.
“The UK government should take immediate action to support the most vulnerable families by introducing a ‘child lock’. This would freeze social security entitlements each year based on average income or inflation, whichever is higher. Parents would be given greater financial stability, reducing the stress and anxiety of financial hardship for the whole family.”
Andy Bell, director of the Centre for Mental Health, said: “Poverty casts a shadow over a child’s mental health, and it is a shadow that can last a lifetime. Effective government action can reverse this.
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“Protecting children and families from poverty and its negative effects on their lives is not just good for the economy. It is a health intervention, and a vital one at that. For a government guided by a mission, it will open the door to improving child health, preventing disease, boosting businesses and strengthening communities.”
A government spokesman said: “This government is determined to tackle child poverty, which is why the new ministerial taskforce launched last week will look at all available resources across government as we begin this urgent work.
“We will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so young people get the support and care they deserve.”