A WIRRAL MP has called for more to be done to tackle childhood poverty after a UNICEF report revealed the problem has increased by more than a quarter as a result of austerity measures caused by the 2008 recession.

Frank Field’s plea follows the publication of Children of the Recession, which shows child poverty rates have risen in the UK, but fallen in 18 other countries including Poland, Germany and Canada - blaming low pay and benefits cuts.

A global report in to the effect of the economic crisis on vulnerable children between 2008 and 2012 put the UK 25th out of 41 developed countries, after child poverty increased by 1.6% to 25.6%.

Mr Field said: "The effectiveness of a national minimum below which no child is allowed to fall has been thrown into doubt by these latest findings.

"Large numbers of poor children are turning up to school hungry and returning to a cold, dark home at the end of the day.

"We have low wages and benefit levels, or chaotic parents, or a combination or both which is leading to this hunger and poverty.

"We need serious action now to rescue children’s wellbeing and prevent them growing up to be poor adults."

The report also found there was an "unprecedented increase" in severe material deprivation - which measures factors including whether families can pay the rent, heat their homes and afford reasonable diets for their children - in the UK along with Greece, Italy and Spain.

The charity called for an immediate review of the impact of economic policies on children to determine the continuing impact of the recession and ensure that imbalances are "re-addressed as a priority".

David Bull, the executive director of Unicef UK, said: "It's disappointing to see that 18 countries have managed to reduce levels of child poverty during that difficult economic period and the UK has seen it get worse.

"This report shows it is possible in difficult times to protect the wellbeing of our poorest children.

"If they can do it in Poland, Canada, Germany and Australia, why can't we?

"It really should be a wake-up call for this country that we need to do something different.

"It is no accident - that's the key message from the report. It's possible to make better choices than we've made. We have to pay attention to what we're doing.

"We need to look at decisions about taxation, welfare, benefits, minimum wage. It's the sum total of all those policies and decision that is leaving us in a position where child poverty is worsening.

"Living in poverty can have serious impacts for children. It can set back a child's ability to achieve and be successful in education and damage their entire life chances."

The Government has put forward a strategy to end child poverty by 2020 but a recent report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission said the plans fell far short of what is needed to prevent the numbers rising.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: "UK families with children have been among the hardest hit by austerity cuts with the result that more than a quarter of our children are growing up poor.

"It's a shaming fact and a problem that is likely to worsen unless there is priority action.

“Independent forecasts show that close to one million more children will be in poverty by 2020 as a result of real-terms cuts to tax credits and benefits.

"Yet as Unicef's report confirms, strong social protection policies can make a critical difference in cutting poverty.”