SHOCK figures reveal that more than 3,000 children in Weymouth and Portland are being plunged into poverty.

A quarter of youngsters in the borough – around 3,343 children are living below the breadline, a new report reveals.

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), which runs the campaign End Child Poverty, has released figures which show that in some parts of the borough, up to 40 percent of children are living in poverty-stricken families once housing costs are taken in to account. In Underhill on Portland, 40 percent – or 324 children – of children are living in poverty.

In Littlemoor it is 38 per cent, or 386 children, and in Melcombe Regis it is 35 per cent – 312 children.

The Echo has calculated the number of children plunged in to poverty using official population figures.

The CPAG report classifies children as living ‘in poverty’ if their families receive benefits or working tax credits and their income is less than 60 per cent of the median income.

It also shows that around 10 percent of the borough’s children wouldn’t be living in poverty if they didn’t have to pay their current housing costs.

Rachel Rogers, who was speaking in the capacity of her work with Weymouth’s Citizens Advice Bureau, and is also a borough councillor, said: “I would imagine the extra 10 percent is because rental costs in Weymouth and Portland are relatively high in comparison with the below-average wages in the area. This is made more difficult as social housing landlords are now allowed to charge 80 percent of the market rental price and class it as ‘affordable’ housing’.

She added: “Around 40 per cent of the people we see have financial problems. We are seeing families struggling because of the relation between a lack of full time work, zero hours contracts or low wages and high housing, food and energy costs. I think we should be shocked.

“It shows there isn’t one area in the borough which doesn’t have poverty problems, so we all need to be concerned.”

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s brief-holder for housing, Cllr Kevin Brookes, said: “The figures are not surprising. Housing is continually the biggest proportion of many people’s pay, and in an area like Weymouth and Portland with high housing and accommodation costs and below average wages, it’s a particular problem. There’s work to be done with the type and amount of available housing.”

FIGURES

The percentage of children in poverty in from October to December 2:

Underhill: 26.12% before housing costs, 39.70% 324-after housing costs

Littlemoor: 24.89% before housing costs, 38.03% 386 after housing costs

Melcombe Regis: 22.78% before housing costs, 35.07% 312 after housing costs

Tophill West: 20.02% before housing costs, 30.67% after housing costs

Weymouth West: 17.34% before housing costs, 27% after housing costs

Weymouth East: 16.63% before housing costs, 26.44% after housing costs

Westham North: 15.96% before housing costs, 25.32% after housing costs

Tophill East: 14.98% before housing costs, 23.49% after housing costs

Westham West: 14.39% before housing costs, 22.79% after housing costs

Upwey and Broadwey: 13.38% before housing costs, 21.07% after housing costs

Wyke Regis: 13.02% before housing costs, 20.69% after housing costs

Westham East: 10.55% before housing costs, 17.29% after housing costs

Radipole: 10.11% before housing costs, 16.25% after housing costs

Preston: 7.01% before housing costs, 11.27% after housing costs

Wey Valley: 4.99% before housing costs, 8.15% after housing costs.