Third of West Midlands children living in poverty
The West Midlands State of the Region 2026 annual review has been published
More than a third of West Midlands children are living in poverty according to a new report.
The West Midlands State of the Region 2026 annual review has revealed that 36 per cent of children in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton are affected by poverty.
The report, to be presented to the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Local Scrutiny Committee, the figure rises to as much as 60 per cent in some neighbourhoods such as Ladywood in Birmingham.
According to the data, there are four local authorities which rank among the 30 most deprived in England overall.
Birmingham is the most deprived area in the WMCA region and is ranked fifth nationally while Sandwell is ranked 19th.
Both Wolverhampton and Walsall are also ranked in the top 30 nationally with them listed 23rd and 28 respectively.
The report said: “While the WMCA’s diverse and youthful population brings significant strengths and opportunities, these sit alongside deep‑rooted inequalities that continue to affect people’s life chances from early childhood onwards.
“The 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) shows that nearly 1.4 million residents live in neighbourhoods among the 20 per cent most deprived in England.
“Over 830,000 residents live in the 10 per cent most deprived neighbourhoods.
“The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) shows that nearly half of all children in the WMCA area (around 49 per cent) live in households with low incomes.
“This varies widely between places: Birmingham: around 62 per cent of children; and Solihull: around 30 per cent of children.
“In 2023/24, around 280,000 children in the WMCA were living in relative low‑income households – an increase of nearly 8,600 children from the previous year.
“Across the wider West Midlands region, almost one in four people lives in poverty, the second‑highest rate in England after London.
“Within the WMCA, child poverty affects over a third of children (36 per cent), rising to more than 60 per cent in some neighbourhoods, such as Ladywood in Birmingham."