CHILDREN living in England’s most deprived areas are more likely to visit A&E, be overweight and suffer from tooth decay, a  Unicef UK report found today.

The study revealed that nearly twice as many children suffer from late-stage, untreated tooth decay in the most deprived areas (29 per cent) compared with the least deprived.

Some 24 per cent of reception-age children in the most deprived areas are overweight or obese. General obesity levels are more than double those of children in the most affluent areas (12.9 per cent to 6 per cent).

There is also an average of 1,020 A&E visits per 1,000 babies and young children in the most deprived areas, 55 per cent more than the most affluent areas.

Blackpool, Knowsley, Liverpool, Kingston upon Hull and Middlesbrough had the highest levels of deprivation. 

Unicef UK chief executive Dr Philip Goodwin said: “The government must act urgently to lift the two-child limit and the benefit cap and commit to investing in the vital health and education services that support children during their crucial early years.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was ”absolutely determined” to ”drive down” child poverty when he was pressed on the two-child benefit cap in Parliament last week.