THE axing of government support is pushing people over the brink, experts warned today as new figures showed that almost four million children are living in relative poverty.

Data by the Department for Work and Pensions found that the estimated proportion of Britain’s children living in relative poverty in 2020/21 after housing costs was 27 per cent, while the equivalent figure for all individuals was 20 per cent.

At 3.9 million, the number of children in poverty in 2020/21 was lower than 4.3 million in 2019/2020 but still 300,000 higher than in 2010/11.

Child Poverty Action Group said that the government’s decision to cut universal credit (UC) in October will have pushed many children back below the poverty line.

Chief executive Alison Garnham said that ministers have “turned their backs on low-income families.”

She said: “Many of the children who were lifted out of poverty by the £20 increase to UC have already been forced back over the brink by the government’s actions.

“And as millions struggle with spiralling costs, we know the picture will worsen.

“The government must step in to support hard-pressed families by increasing benefits by 8 per cent to match inflation.”

Action for Children director of policy and campaigns Imran Hussain said: “These figures show the Chancellor’s actions to boost incomes at the start of the pandemic lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.

“But the Treasury’s relative inaction to help families on low incomes in today’s cost-of-living crisis is likely to see any progress lost and child poverty climb again.

“As prices continue to rise, more low-income parents we support who were just about managing could go under, with no tips, tricks or hacks left to stretch their income over the month.

“As well as the current cost of living crisis, many families with children are still reeling from October’s £20-a-week cut.

“Unless the government chooses to shield them now by protecting benefits from rising inflation, it will fail on its manifesto pledge to cut child poverty and millions of families will continue to face years of miserable hardship.”

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that with the end of the UC uplift and rising inflation, benefits “are not keeping up” and prospects for lower incomes next year “are much bleaker.”

A government spokesman said that UC claimants in working households are now £1,000 better off on average.