Material deprivation of children

Last updated: September 2026

Next estimated update: May 2027

What does this indicator show?

This indicator shows the proportion of children in London experiencing some kind of material deprivation. This means the material things - such as having enough clothes or eating fresh fruit and vegetables every day - that children go without.

It helps us to see the impact of poverty behind the numbers: what children in poverty are missing out on, in a city where more than one in three children are growing up in poverty.

What does it tell us?

In 2024/25, more than 3 in 5 (62%) children living in households in poverty in London experienced some form of material deprivation.

Last year this was 45% - however the measure of material deprivation has changed and shouldn’t be directly compared.

It’s also significantly higher than the rest of England, where 46% of children in poverty are materially deprived.For children who do not live in households in poverty, the proportion of materially deprived children is 19% in London and 17% in the rest of England.

What this actually looks like:

• Missing out on social activities: Almost half (43%) of children in poverty don’t go to a toddler group, nursery or playgroup, compared to 19% of those not in poverty. And a quarter don’t have a friend round once a month, compared to 13% of those not in poverty.
• Difficult living circumstances: 35% of children in London in poverty don’t have a suitable bedroom for their age and sex, compared to 21% of those not in poverty. And 12% don’t have a suitable place to do homework, compared to 4% of those not in poverty.
• Impacts on their diet: 13% of children in poverty in London don’t eat fresh fruit or vegetables every day, and 5% don’t get three meals a day.