More than 90,000 children in 'severe poverty'

MORE than 90,000 children in Scotland live in "severe poverty", according to a new study released today.

Save The Children has classified just under 10 per cent of the country's one million youngsters as living in its worst poverty bracket.

It comprises children aged 15 or under living with two parents who bring home less than £7,000 a year after paying for housing costs.

The charity's Living Below the Radar report

suggests that a third of children in severe poverty cannot afford play equipment such as a bike or a football,

while about 20 per cent miss out on occasions such as Christmas or birthdays.

In Scotland, 18 per cent of children are classified as being in non-severe poverty - households with incomes of £10,350 after housing costs.

Jane Gibreel, Save The Children's programme director for Scotland, called for the government to invest more in poor communities. She said: "They're the children who are hardest to reach, need the most help and the greatest investment to lift them out of poverty."

But Scotland's youngsters fare well compared with most other parts of the UK. The country has the fourth lowest proportion of severely poor children, behind south-east and south-west England, at 6.9 per cent, and east England with 7.2 per cent. London is the worst area for severe poverty, 17 per cent.

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "We are committed to eradicating child poverty by 2020 and improving the life choices of all people across Scotland."