Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number and proportion of children in (1) poverty, and (2) deep poverty, living in households subject to no recourse to public funds; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the Child Poverty Strategy on those numbers.

In developing the Child Poverty Strategy, the Ministerial Taskforce engaged extensively with families, charities and other organisations across the UK, including those making representations on behalf of children subject to no recourse to public funds (NRPF). This engagement will continue as the Government implements its plans for delivering and evaluating the Strategy.

We are continuing our work to develop our understanding of NRPF and its impacts. This includes work with the Home Office to develop questions on NRPF for inclusion in the Family Resources survey 2026/2027, a household survey undertaken annually to explore living standards in the UK. This will provide greater insight into how families with the NRPF conditions are living in the UK and will help to inform future policy-making.

There are important safeguards that currently exist within the system to ensure that vulnerable migrants and children are protected. For example, section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on English local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of “children in need” in their area. Any support provided to a child by local authorities under such legislation is not dependent on the immigration status of the child or their parent(s). Local authorities can also provide support if there is a human rights issue, or there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution.

In England, migrant children subject to the NRPF conditions have access to a range of support to support disadvantaged children. This includes access to Free School meals (subject to certain eligibility thresholds), funding for schools to support disadvantaged children, 15 hours per week early years childcare entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds, 15 hours early years child care entitlement for 3- to 4-year-olds, support for children with special educational needs and disabilities; and local authority grants.