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One in 10 kids live in workless households: "The damage is rippling through entire neighbourhoods"

ended 29. October 2025

Almost one in 10 children are living in workless households with a clear north-south divide – as experts warned "the damage is rippling through entire neighbourhoods".

In 2024, 1.2 million children (9.4%) lived in long-term workless households, up 1.2 percentage points on the previous year, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows.

The lowest percentage of children in long-term workless households was in the South West (6.6%).

The highest percentage of children in long-term workless households was in the North East (16.6%).

Colin Crooks MBE, CEO at Intentionality, said the government needs to be radical in sorting out the problem.

He said: "1.2 million children deserve parents who come home from work with purpose – let's change the system to make that possible. These ever-rising figures prove the current approach has failed – if you keep doing the same thing, you get the same results, and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) keep repeating the same tired ‘solutions’. Long-term unemployment destroys self-respect and dignity, with the damage rippling through entire households and neighbourhoods. 

"Parents and carers need empathetic, in-work support and job-first solutions, not another government program that talks at them. Social enterprises and compassionate employers who understand that getting someone back to meaningful work transforms their entire family's future are the answer."

Dariusz Karpowicz, Director at Doncaster-based Albion Financial Advice, said there is a north-south divide clearly seen in the figures.

He continued: "The North East's children are twice as likely to grow up without seeing their parents work compared to those in the South West. That's not just a statistic; it's a stark reminder that your postcode shouldn't determine your prospects. These figures expose Britain's persistent regional inequality. With 700,000 job vacancies nationwide, the issue isn't simply availability of work. Parents need practical support to enter employment, not more bureaucratic programmes. 

"You can't expect different results from repeating failed approaches. Children model what they see at home, so getting parents into meaningful work transforms entire families. The solution requires targeted investment in forgotten regions, particularly the North, alongside employers who understand that supporting someone back to work benefits everyone. 

"When parents gain purpose through employment, their children inherit something invaluable: aspiration and the belief that work brings rewards beyond just a salary."

Scott Gallacher, Director at Leicester-based Rowley Turton, agreed, adding: “This is one of the clearest indications yet of the continuing North–South divide. The industrial powerhouses of the North, which once drove much of the UK’s economic success, have been neglected by successive governments — most recently through the effective abandonment of HS2 and the reallocation of northern transport funding towards projects in the South. 

"To fix this problem, we first need to acknowledge the obvious imbalance and commit to serious, sustained investment in the North. Based here in Leicester, firmly in the middle of the country, we can see that imbalance every time we travel north or south."

Michelle Lawson, Director at Fareham-based Lawson Financial, said this is a damaging environment for kids.

She continued: "The root cause of this needs to be found as we should not have any of this as a developed and advanced nation. With over 700,000 vacancies there should be opportunities available. Some will naturally be unable to work but behaviour breeds behaviour and children will do what they see. 

“Too many take the easy option and choose the pressured benefit system as a way of life rather than necessity and a culture of entitlement has been cultivated. People should be installing pride of work with the rewards it can give and encouraging the future generations to support themselves financially otherwise there will literally be nothing left for them."

4 responses from the Newspage community

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Editor
Michelle LawsonVerified
Director at Lawson Financial
The root cause of this needs to be found as we should not have any of this as a developed and advanced nation. With over 700,000 vacancies there should be opportunities available. Some will naturally be unable to work but behaviour breeds behaviour and children will do what they see. Too many take the easy option and choose the pressured benefit system as a way of life rather than necessity and a culture of entitlement has been cultivated. People should be installing pride of work with the rewards it can give and encouraging the future generations to support themselves financially otherwise there will literally be nothing left for them.
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Editor
Scott GallacherVerified
Director at Rowley Turton
This is one of the clearest indications yet of the continuing North–South divide.

The industrial powerhouses of the North, which once drove much of the UK’s economic success, have been neglected by successive governments — most recently through the effective abandonment of HS2 and the reallocation of northern transport funding towards projects in the South.

To fix this problem, we first need to acknowledge the obvious imbalance and commit to serious, sustained investment in the North.

Based here in Leicester, firmly in the middle of the country, we can see that imbalance every time we travel north or south
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Editor
Dariusz KarpowiczVerified
Director at Albion Financial Advice
The North East's children are twice as likely to grow up without seeing their parents work compared to those in the South West. That's not just a statistic; it's a stark reminder that your postcode shouldn't determine your prospects.
These figures expose Britain's persistent regional inequality. With 700,000 job vacancies nationwide, the issue isn't simply availability of work. Parents need practical support to enter employment, not more bureaucratic programmes. You can't expect different results from repeating failed approaches. Children model what they see at home, so getting parents into meaningful work transforms entire families. The solution requires targeted investment in forgotten regions, particularly the North, alongside employers who understand that supporting someone back to work benefits everyone. When parents gain purpose through employment, their children inherit something invaluable: aspiration and the belief that work brings rewards beyond just a salary.
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Colin Crooks MBE HonDsc0
CEO at Intentionality
1.2 million children deserve parents who come home from work with purpose – let's change the system to make that possible. These ever-rising figures prove the current approach has failed – if you keep doing the same thing, you get the same results, and the DWP keep repeating the same tired "solutions" Long-term unemployment destroys self-respect and dignity, with the damage rippling through entire households and neighbourhoods. Parents and carers need empathetic, in-work support and job-first solutions, not another government program that talks at them. Social enterprises and compassionate employers who understand that getting someone back to meaningful work transforms their entire family's future are the answer.