More than a third of Bolton children are living in poverty according to shocking new findings released today.

This comes as the End Child Poverty Coalition release their annual statistics this week which reveal just how many children all across the country are having to endure poverty.

Bolton has been shown to be one of the worst impacted boroughs in the country with a staggering 37.6 per cent of children living in poverty, which can have devastating effects on youngsters’ lives.

Child Poverty Coalition Ambassador Liv Eren, 18, said: "I remember how poverty made me feel.

“Always being acutely aware of your social position forces you to mature a lot earlier. I remember a group of us telling a teacher that we wouldn't be able to go on a school trip when she wondered why no one had signed up. 

“At 11-years of age and knowing about your parents’ finances and what they can afford, no child should be in a position to know that.

“And I missed out on normal things kids were doing after school too.

“Mum couldn't afford childcare, so we were going to work with her in the evenings then having to be at school for 8am and we were absolutely shattered

“It is a hard pill to swallow knowing that the issues you faced growing up are still rife today.

“I walk to college everyday passing children from my primary school with broken school shoes looking absolutely shattered as though they have not had anything to eat.”

Bolton’s child poverty figures for 2020/21 were the fourth highest in the North West and above the regional average of 31 per cent.

End Child Poverty Coalition Coordinator Rachel Walters said: “Child poverty isn’t inevitable, the government can make changes to ensure that families are able to afford the basics for their children.

“We need urgent decisive action to ensure that next year we aren’t reporting exactly the same figures for the NW region.

“All children in the North West, and across the UK, deserve to live free of poverty and to have the same chances as their peers.”