Task force agreed to tackle child poverty in Cornwall
More than 27,000 children and young people are growing up in relative poverty in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Last updated 24th Sep 2025
One in five children and young people are growing up in relative poverty in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – that’s more than 27,000 children and the equivalent of 1,080 average size classrooms in the Duchy.
The shocking statistics are revealed in a new report, which has led to the agreed formation of a child poverty taskforce.
Cornwall Council’s Liberal Democrat / Independent cabinet today (Wednesday, September 24) agreed to back recommendations outlined by the author of the report, director of public health Dr Euan O’Neill, which includes setting up a taskforce, doing everything in its power to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing, improving transport access and expanding youth services.
Cabinet members also agreed to become one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce automatic enrolment for free school meals, which will ensure almost 2,000 children who are currently missing out will now benefit. The move is expected to bring in an extra £2 million in government funding for the poorest and most disadvantaged pupils in the Duchy and help reduce the stigma some feel about receiving free meals.
The report, which has been written incorporating testimonials from many children and young people living in poverty, lays bare some stark statistics concerning the living and health standards of babies through to 19-year-olds in Cornwall. By age five, there is five-month learning gap between the most advantaged and disadvantaged children. In Cornwall, only 52.5% of children eligible for free school meals had a good level of development at age five compared to 69.7% of all children. This learning gap widens throughout primary and secondary school.
Children living in poverty are more likely to suffer from diet-related issues such as tooth decay, malnutrition, obesity and type 2 diabetes, while 23.7% of Year 6 children living with obesity are living in the most deprived areas of Cornwall, compared to 13.2% in the least deprived areas.
Children living in the most deprived households are four times more likely to have serious mental health difficulties by the age of 11 compared to those living in the least deprived households.
Introducing the report, Cllr Thalia Marrington – the council’s Lib Dem portfolio holder for community safety and public health – said child poverty was one of the most urgent and complex challenges facing Cornish communities. One in five children living in relative poverty in Cornwall is higher than both the South West and national averages.
“We heard from children who go to bed hungry, who skip school trips and who feel ashamed because they don’t have the right shoes or uniform,” said Cllr Marrington. “We heard also from parents making impossible choices between heating and eating, and we heard from professionals who say they’re seeing more children in poverty than at any point in their careers.”
She said the report highlighted the reasons for child poverty – low pay, insecure work, high living costs and inadequate support. “It reminds us that poverty is a violation of children’s rights. Most importantly, it ends with a call to action – to build a Cornwall and Isles of Scilly where every child can thrive and not just survive.
“The report will inform the work of a newly established babies, children and young people poverty action group and it will also support the development of local responses to the national child poverty strategy.”
The council’s Lib Dem leader Cllr Leigh Frost added: “The scale of it – 27,000 children living in Cornwall right now – is outrageous. We’re one of the most advanced economies in the world and that’s what we’ve got for our children in Cornwall. If we don’t support our children now, we know that as they grow up they will probably end up living in poverty in adulthood.
“We get £49 per person for our public health grant, when the national average is £73. This is a really important challenge for this council and one we have to take on.”
The child poverty report and its recommendations received cross-party support at the cabinet meeting.