Some children in UK growing up in 'Dickensian' poverty

Some children in the UK are growing up in "Dickensian" levels of poverty, living in conditions described as unsanitary and degrading, according to a new report released Tuesday by the British children's commissioner.

Dame Rachel de Souza urged the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap, warning that it is contributing to rising poverty levels among families.

"It really is Dickensian, and there are a huge number of children now who have dropped below what any one of us would think is reasonable," she told the BBC.

The report, commissioned by the government and based on testimony from 128 children across England this January to March, paints a stark picture of life for children in some of the country's most deprived areas.

Examples include families living with rats, children considering bacon a luxury food, and others unable to wash themselves or their clothes.

It highlights that children are growing up in unheated homes, without proper places to eat, lacking privacy in bathrooms, and without safe routes to school, and that many have internalized these conditions as normal.

The report also notes that a significant number of children have come to accept the absence of basic needs as part of everyday life.

It underscores how families are struggling to access essentials like heating and food, while many children are living in overcrowded and unhealthy homes, frequently forced to move. These conditions, it says, are taking a toll not only on education but also on children's mental health.

- 2 urgent steps

Particularly striking are testimony from children describing homes infested with mold and rats, narrow sleeping spaces, and having to walk for hours to reach school.

The report further points to inequalities in access to food security and healthcare, bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining government support, and poor transportation as major challenges affecting vulnerable families.

"I had one child tell me about his shame because he couldn't have his friends round as in the night, rats came and bit his face," Rachel said.

In a joint statement, the children's commissioners for all four UK nations called on the government to take two urgent steps: remove the two-child benefit cap and raise all child-related benefits annually.

"Children cannot afford to wait," the statement said, calling it "unacceptable" that in 2025, children are going without basics such as food, clothing, safe housing, and heating.

The report comes as the UK government prepares to unveil its child poverty strategy this fall. A spokesperson said the strategy would include "fully funded measures that tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty."

Earlier this year, the government announced a £1 billion ($1.28 billion) package to strengthen crisis support, including provisions to prevent hunger among the poorest children during school holidays.