For those of us on the frontline, it’s sometimes hard to tell if government understands how tightly poverty locks people in, right from childhood. CEO Andy Peers, from bed poverty charity, Zarach, explains how they’re breaking the chains.
The UK government has declared a commitment to addressing child poverty, yet for many families, existing policies seem disconnected from their daily struggles. Recent discussions surrounding cost-of-living support, social security, and household resilience have highlighted the tension between immediate relief efforts and sustainable, long-term solutions.
For professionals on the front lines—housing officers, social workers, debt advisers, and charity workers—the pressing question remains: How can we effectively support families while challenging the prevailing assumptions that shape our approach to poverty?
The Tangible Impact of Material Deprivation
Poverty extends beyond mere financial insufficiency; it encompasses a lack of security, stability, and choice. Charities addressing “bed poverty”, where children lack proper sleeping arrangements, exemplify how deprivation affects daily life. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) notes that such hardship places additional pressure on primary schools and healthcare services, diverting resources and increasing workloads.
Lynn Perry, CEO of Barnardo’s, emphasises the long-term consequences: “Children growing up in poverty go to school hungry, they miss out on opportunities to learn and struggle with poor health long into adulthood.”
For the past two years, Quids in! has worked in partnership with Leeds-based, bed poverty charity, Zarach, to offer one-to-one money guidance to hard-pressed parents. Their CEO, Andy Peers explains the need for their intervention: “There’s lots of scientific research about the benefits of good sleep and, therefore, the impact of poor sleep. For children, because they are developing so much—physically, cognitively, and emotionally—the continual absence of good sleep is profound across so many aspects of their life. In turn, this can have a long-lasting impact for their future.”
The Infrastructure of Tomorrow
“Having a bed, in good condition, of their own to sleep in, is one major part of getting good sleep for children. But other factors, such as overcrowding (eg, several children in the same room) or a poor sleep environment (eg, no curtains to protect from unwanted light coming into the room or neighbours playing loud music late into the night), also affect the overall sleep experience for children.”
Children’s ability to concentrate in class is severely affected by lack of sleep, as are their memory, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Peers adds: “We all know how cranky we feel with just a short experience of poor sleep and how this affects our mood and behaviour. Poor sleep can lead to health issues too, such as a weakened immune system or a risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and slower growth and overall development.”
“We hear governments say they don’t want to borrow money for day-to-day spending, but they will borrow for infrastructure. Well, 4.3 million children today ARE our infrastructure for tomorrow. If we continue to tinker around the edges, if we place airports and railways above children, then we will have many children growing up poorly, placing greater needs on public services, not achieving at school, and not being able to embrace all the opportunities that the future economy is meant to bring.”
From Stigma to Understanding
The discourse on poverty in the UK often frames it as a personal failing rather than a systemic issue. Terms like “welfare dependency” persist, despite evidence that many benefit recipients are either employed or unable to work due to disability or caregiving responsibilities. This narrative fosters stigma, deterring individuals from seeking necessary support.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlights that poverty can lead to poor educational outcomes, health problems, and social issues, perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage.
Peers underscores the need to shift this narrative: “We’re encouraging people to talk about poverty for what it is: A chronic, long-term, debilitating health condition. We’ve seen the lengths the Government will go to address a health crisis – this is a health crisis too.”
Balancing Immediate Support with Structural Reform
Anti-poverty organisations advocate for a dual approach: Providing immediate, practical assistance while pursuing long-term structural changes. Charities supplying essentials like beds and food address urgent needs but cannot, on their own, rectify the systemic factors driving poverty.
Zarach’s bed bundles include a bed frame, mattress, pillow, duvet, bed clothing, and pyjamas. “Three decent quality, brand-new bed bundles might easily cost a family upwards of £600. When you are choosing between heating and eating, £600 is a mountain too high to climb,” Peers says, exposing the additional need for the income maximisation support that Quids in! money coaches can provide. “At the point of us providing the bed bundle, a child is taken out of bed poverty. If the family can look after what’s provided, this could last for around eight years.”
Zarach also focuses on fostering trust with families. “We’re not a statutory agency, landlord, or an ‘authority’, and because families know we’re there to provide a wonderful charitable offer, they feel comfortable talking to us about other challenges,” says Peers. “Where there are unmet needs, we can agree a simple action plan with the family, linking them with other services that can help them keep moving forward.”
Comprehensive Change
To effectively combat child poverty, campaigners call for a number of changes:
- Policy Alignment with Lived Experiences: Policymakers must ground their decisions in the realities faced by families and frontline workers, ensuring that support systems are both accessible and adequate.
- Reframing the Narrative: Moving away from language that stigmatises poverty towards a discourse that acknowledges how removing systemic barriers can reduce shame and encourage individuals to seek assistance.
- Integrating Immediate Aid with Long-Term Solutions: While direct support is crucial, it must be coupled with policy reforms that address the root causes of poverty, such as inadequate social security measures and restrictive benefit policies.
Peers suggests a policy intervention: “To significantly reduce child bed poverty, requiring social housing providers to offer furnished tenancies to any new tenants with a child of pre-school or school age would lift many children out of needing us.”
Peers highlights the broader societal impact of child poverty: “When children experience long-term poverty, they don’t just miss out on a good night’s sleep; they lose access to opportunities that could change their lives. It affects their educational attainment, their ability to form social connections, and ultimately their life chances.”
As Zarach expands its work, Peers highlights the importance of collaboration: “One of our values is to be collaborative. It’s so encouraging that there are a good number of other charities also working to end child poverty in all its forms. We’re a member of the End Child Poverty Coalition, and we want to better engage with and support the work of the Coalition.”
For professionals aiding those in financial distress, the task is twofold: provide essential support and advocate for policies that foster a more equitable society. The challenge lies in bridging the gap between immediate needs and systemic change, ensuring that efforts to alleviate poverty are both compassionate and effective.
Image: Ground Picture / Shutterstock