New government data revealed the 10 constituencies with the highest levels of child poverty in the East of England and two Cambridgeshire areas are among them

Two areas in Cambridgeshire with the highest levels of child poverty have been revealed. New government data revealed the 10 constituencies with the highest levels of child poverty in the East of England – and two Cambridgeshire areas are among them.

The new data, published on March 26, 2026, for the years 2022 to 2025, shows that Peterborough and North East Cambridgeshire had the highest levels of child poverty in the region.

According to The Children’s Society’s research, the data showed that 41.1% of children up to and including age 15 in Peterborough live in poverty. In North East Cambridgeshire, 30.8% of children live in poverty.

This new data shows that nearly 1 in 4 children across the East of England are living in poverty, after the cost of housing. Across the UK this figure stands at 27% equating to 4 million children.

Scrapping the two-child limit will come into effect on April 6, 2026. Increasing eligibility for free school meals in England will come into effect from September 2026, alongside other measures which aim to lead to a reduction in child poverty across the East of England.

Andrew Pakes, the Labour MP for Peterborough, said: “Ensuring every child in Peterborough gets the best start in life is a top priority for me and for this government. The reality is that too many families here – the majority of them in work – are still facing the daily reality and pressures of child poverty.”

Mr Pakes added: “That is why I am proud to have voted to lift nearly 10,000 children in our city out of poverty by ending the two-child limit. That cruel cap has been the biggest single driver of child poverty in Peterborough. Scrapping it is an important step in easing the pressures that push families towards Peterborough Foodbank, the Care Zone and others doing such important work supporting those in need.”

Jezz, 22, who is a Youth Ambassador for the End Child Poverty Coalition, and grew up in the East of England, said: “For so many young people like me, life starts with the odds stacked against them. Poverty is a weight they are forced to carry with them throughout childhood, and for many, into later life.

“The disadvantages it deals in education, and the harm it can cause to wellbeing and to health, makes any idea of a fair start in life a fantasy. I hope that behind each data point we can think of the child’s life that is fundamentally shaped and altered by this experience and begin to treat the crisis with the seriousness it deserves.”

Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society, which is a member of the End Child Poverty Coalition, said: “These figures lay bare the reality for families across the East of England – too many children are growing up in poverty which has lasting consequences for their health, education, and futures.

“We welcome steps like scrapping the two-child limit and expanding free school meals, but these numbers are a stark reminder that the work is not even close to being done.”

Mr Pakes continued: “I am determined to make Peterborough a better place for families and children. Last week we opened our fifth new Family Hub in the city and are extending more breakfast clubs at primary schools over the coming months, so no child has to start the day hungry.

“I’m also proud that around 16,000 more local children will benefit from a free school meal every school day come September.”