Charities tackling child poverty in Lincolnshire have noted a rise in people that need their help.
A third of children living in major Lincolnshire towns are under the poverty line, according to the Department for Work and Pension (DWP).
They also found that child poverty has reached record levels with 4.5 million children in the UK living in deprivation in a report from March of this year.
More children than ever in Lincoln and Boston have been affected by a lack of family income.
Sue Bain, founder of the charity Little Treasures, said: “We usually get about two or three referrals a week but over the past six months that number has doubled.”
The baby bank based in Horncastle support families by distributing donations via a referral system through doctors and social workers.
They have helped people in Lincolnshire since opening in 2019. They have now expanded their support to the surrounding counties of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
As well as having to expand their services they have noted a rise in the amount of large items families need such as prams and cots.
The charity believes this is down to changing benefits and taxes. In March of this year chancellor Rachel Reeves set out £5 billion of benefit cuts. The think tank, New Economics Foundation, believe 800,000 legitimate disability claimants will miss out.
The March report from the DWP also found that 44% of all children living in child poverty are living in households where someone is disabled.
Bain added: “We’re supported by the local community and people are becoming more generous.”
She advises that families with babies, that need help, get a referral via their doctor or social worker.
Lincolnshire Community Foundation is just one organisation that also supports children in the county.
They have recently announced their sixth round of the family support fund which helps low-income families.
“Since we announced the fund, our phones have been ringing off the hook,” says spokesperson Claire Edwards, “There is definitely more need for this kind of support.”
Since September the foundation has distributed £963,000 to 5,300 households and Claire said: “We have had a record number of applications for organisations wanting support.
“I think people want to do good in their communities.”
The charity Child Poverty Action Group believe the number of children in poverty will rise to 4.8 million by the end of this parliament with the current situation.
Lincolnshire Community Foundation are encouraging families in need to go to their website for support.
