THOUSANDS of young people are living in poverty in Wirral.

New data published by the Department for Work and Pensions has revealed the proportion of children under the age of 16 living in relative low-income families in 2022/23.

A household is considered to be in relative poverty if its income is below 60 per cent of the current median average.

In Wirral, 22.2 per cent of children are living in poverty.

This is up from 13.4 per cent in 2014/15, the first year in the data series, and 17.4 per cent in 2019/20,  the most recent pre-pandemic year.

Just over half (52%) of all UK local authorities have seen an increase in the proportion of children in child poverty since 2019/20, while around nine in 10 (91%) recorded a higher level in 2022/23 than in 2014/15.

Responding to the figures, the Government said it was helping people on the lowest incomes with a range of measures, including boosting benefits and pensions, extending the Household Support Fund and introducing the biggest ever rise to the National Living Wage.

In Cheshire West and Chester, 17.3 per cent of children are living in poverty.

This is up from 11.6 per cent in 2014/15, the first year in the data series, and 14.6 per cent in 2019/20, the most recent pre-pandemic year.

In Liverpool, 32.3 per cent of children are living in poverty up from 20.2 per cent in the first year  and 27.6 per cent pre pandemic.