
Almost 1 in 4 children in the city now live in poverty – up 10 per cent since 2014 – with new projections by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggesting that is unlikely to improve within the next 5 years.
However, Newcastle City Council is facing that challenge head on and taking positive, proactive steps to improve the lives of young people and their families.
Cllr Lesley Storey said: “We know there are people in our city who are struggling, and that more can be done to help them.
“As our Director of Public Health’s recent annual report makes clear poverty can have lifelong consequences, impacting everything from wellbeing to happiness, opportunities, and life expectancy.
“The Government says that no child should be in poverty and that children should enjoy the best start in life – ambitions we can only wholeheartedly support.
“However, for the council to do more to support our residents we need the resources and capacity to do so.
“We await with interest what the Government will set out in its poverty strategy later in the year, and hope that Westminster will support our own significant efforts to help every child – and the adults they become – thrive here in Newcastle.”
In his 2024 annual report – which featured a chapter on Newcastle – Professor Chris Whitty found that all cities are facing similar challenges, due to the concentration of major health issues in high population areas.
In response Newcastle is taking a number of steps to support the city’s children, young people and their families.
Investing in wraparound childcare
As part of the Department for Education’s (DfE) National Wraparound Programme, Newcastle has secured a £1.3 million investment to expand wraparound childcare provision. This funding will help schools and childcare providers enhance their capacity and facilities, ensuring families have access to high-quality care that meets their needs. Wraparound childcare plays a vital role in supporting parents and carers to take up work and training opportunities. Many families will also be entitled to financial support for childcare costs, further easing financial pressures.
Cllr Storey added: “This funding is vital for working families in Newcastle and reflects our commitment to enhancing health and education outcomes, especially for those on lower incomes. By expanding access to affordable, high-quality childcare, we can enable parents to pursue work or training opportunities while ensuring eligible families receive additional childcare support.”
Becoming a Marmot City
Newcastle is committed to tackling inequalities and improving outcomes for all by becoming a Marmot City.
That means health at the heart of future services, making sure every decision the organisation makes is considered in terms of its health impacts, with the aim of giving every child the best possible start in life and reducing unfair and preventable health inequality.
Cllr Adam Walker, Cabinet member for adult social care, health and prevention, said: “As a council, we must be bold in our efforts to improve the health of children and vulnerable people. We must not be afraid to use every tool at our disposal to enact substantial, long-lasting, and evidence-based improvements in the lives of those we serve.
“We look forward to becoming a Marmot City and embedding health as a core consideration in all our policies and services.”
Free school breakfasts initiative
Newcastle City Council is also supporting the government’s Free Breakfast Club programme and encouraging schools to take part in the 750 early adopter initiative. This will ensure that children across Newcastle start their school day nourished, focused, and ready to learn.
Supporting the city’s youth services
The latest round of The Newcastle Youth Fund, managed by Newcastle City Council and supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, has distributed more than £524,000 to 24 successful applicants.
The projects will run from April 2025 until March 2026 and offer activities to support young people with their mental health, education, life skills and personal development.
Young people are central to the design of The Newcastle Youth Fund and have had a key role in decision making – ensuring young people have a direct say in the activities and services that make a difference in their localities and neighbourhoods.
Free school meal auto-enrolment
The council has launched the process for introducing free school meal auto-enrolment to maximise registration and ensure eligible children receive this vital support.
Currently all eligible families are encouraged to apply for free school meals at the beginning of each school year, but there is concern that some of those entitled to the service miss out, with national figures showing that one in ten eligible pupils across England are not registered.
By adopting an autoenrollment process, the council seeks to ensure no eligible child and no school misses out. This approach builds on successful models adopted by other local authorities both in the North East and nationally.
Cllr Storey said: “It is a priority for us to ensure that every eligible child is registered for free school meals. It is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the city, so all our children and young people can maximise their potential. By introducing auto-enrolment, we are taking a proactive approach to support families most in need and secure additional funding for our schools.
Strengthening support for children and families
The council continues to enhance its Early Help offer, which aims to identify and address family needs early, providing coordinated support before challenges escalate.
The service includes both support for all and more targeted assistance for families requiring extra help, ensuring that no child falls through the cracks.
The Evry programme
The Evry programme, which has been running since 2022, is a citywide initiative designed to ensure that every baby, child, and young person can feel happy, healthy, safe, and ready for their next steps. A network of Evry partners, including businesses, academic institutions, sporting organisations, and cultural institutions, has been established to help drive forward this mission.
All these initiatives share the same goal of reducing poverty levels across the city, particularly for children, and ensuring every young person can succeed regardless of their background.
Cllr Storey said: “An 18-year-old in our city today was born on the verge of a global financial crisis, grown up through years of austerity, faced the effects of the pandemic and now the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“It’s no wonder this generation feels the burden of these challenges, but it is our responsibility to come together as a city and find ways to build a brighter future for them and the generations that follow.”