Offical figures have revealed that a record 4.5 million children are now living in poverty in the UK.

The figures have been branded a “source of national shame”.

New Department for Work and Pensions data show the number of impoverished children soared by 100,000 in the year to March 2024, an increase from 4.33 million the previous year.

This means that 31 per cent of children in the UK are living in poverty and 72 per cent of these live in households with working families.

The Mail Online reports: It comes just a day after Labour announced a policy that its own impact as sessment suggested will plunge a further 50,000 children into poverty.

A child is defined as living in poverty if their household earns below 60 per cent of the UK median income after housing costs – equating to £22,500.

There are 14.6 million children living in the UK, according to the DWP, with the latest figures showing the highest number of children living in poverty since records began in 2002.

Save the Children UK branded the increase a ‘source of national shame’ and warned Labour it risked overseeing a huge increase in child poverty.

The charity’s director Dan Paskins said: ‘These figures are a source of national shame. The rise in child poverty to 4.5 million – the highest figure on record – is a direct consequence of political choices.

‘The government must take immediate action to ensure more children do not fall into poverty next year. If they don’t, this could be the first Labour government that oversees a significant rise in child poverty – a record no one wants.’

It comes as Rachel Reeves said that she is ‘absolutely certain’ her welfare reforms will not push more people into poverty.

The Chancellor appeared to reject an official impact assessment which suggested that 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – could fall into poverty as a result of the changes.

‘I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work,’ she told Sky News.

‘And we know that if you move from welfare into work, you are much less likely to be in poverty.

‘That is our ambition, making people better off, not making people worse off, and also the welfare state will always be there for people who genuinely need it.’

However there is a growing rebellion among Labour backbenchers over the changes and today charities urged the Chancellor to U-turn on the plans.