More than 7,000 children in Ealing Central and Acton are "living in poverty", new figures reveal.
The figures, published by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), show 33% of children in the borough are now living under the official poverty line.
CPAG also discovered around 24,700 families in Ealing will become Universal Credit claimants from March onwards, when the new benefit starts to be rolled out locally.
There will be around 45,100 children in the borough dependent on Universal Credit, claimed by low earners and households who can’t work or are looking for work.
What's happening in Ealing?
In a parliamentary debate on child poverty last week, MP Rupa Huq drew attention to the 7,179 children who are affected across her constituency of Ealing Central and Acton.
Dr Huq told the house: “When we think of child poverty, we think of Dickensian cobbled streets and think of it as some sort of inner-city malady.
“In Ealing Central and Acton, 7,179 children live in poverty.”
The CPAG figures follow on from a recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, which shows the UK is experiencing the first sustained rise in child poverty in two decades.
The report suggests that almost four million children across the UK live in poverty and nearly 400,000 more young people are trapped in relative poverty compared to 2012/13.
In London, the Rowntree report says there are 700,000 children living in relative poverty – the equivalent of 37% of the capital's young people.
Figures from the IFS predict that this number will rise to 900,000 by 2019-21.
CPAG's chief executive Alison Garnham spoke ahead of the Universal Credit roll-out and said MPs need to make sure it is in “good shape” to help reduce the number of children in poverty.
She said: “When the local roll-out of Universal Credit is complete there will be around 45,100 Ealing children in a household dependent on it so it’s really important that the design, implementation and delivery are right.
“End Child Poverty’s latest research shows 33% of children in Ealing live under the official poverty line.
“If Universal Credit is to play a part in reducing that number, ministers will need to ensure it’s adequately funded and is in good shape for any Ealing household that needs it.”
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