More than 100,000 children in poverty in two counties

More than 100,000 children are currently living in poverty in Cheshire and on Merseyside, a report has found.

The study, commissioned by the directors of public health from the regions, found 60% of those children in poverty were living in a household with working parents or carers.

Health leaders have joined forces to call for urgent action to end child and family poverty, saying it "ruins lives".

The government said it was creating an "ambitious strategy" to reduce child poverty and planned to roll out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools

'Suffering'

The report found 22.3% of children under 16 in Cheshire and Merseyside, (100,300) were found to be living in relative low-income families, compared to a national average of 19.8%.

Regional leaders in public health, the NHS, Children’s Services and the voluntary sector, have responded to the report with a statement, describing the findings as “outrageous”.

They are calling for urgent local and national co-ordinated action to ensure that all partners work together to meet a shared ambition of no child in Cheshire and Merseyside living in poverty.

"Poverty latches on to children before they are born, stays with them their entire lives, and continues to cause harm for many generations after," the leaders said.

"It ruins lives, and has far-reaching consequences for society and the economy."

Health leaders say children living in poverty are not able to learn and develop like other children their age

The statement said children living in poverty were more likely to be obese, have asthma and poor mental health.

"These children, who deserve to be born into a world that provides them with all the conditions and opportunities they need to thrive, are instead suffering," it said.

"This is an injustice and it must stop. Our ambition is that no child in Cheshire and Merseyside lives in poverty."

In July, the government announced the creation of a new Child Poverty Unit which aims to bring together expert officials from across government.

A spokeswoman for the department for work and pensions said: “No child should be in poverty, that’s why our new cross-government taskforce will develop an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty and give children the best start in life.

“Alongside this urgent work, we will roll out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools while delivering on our plan to grow the economy and make work pay for hardworking families in every part of the country.”

The BBC has contacted councils in Merseyside and Cheshire for a comment.