October 07, 2026 - 193 views
The latest Welsh Government analysis highlights the scale of child poverty across Wales, with the figures also showing particular pressures in parts of North Wales.
Around two in five children in Wales were living in income deprivation in 2024, according to new analysis linked to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The Welsh Government says the figures underline the need for further action to support families on low incomes, with child poverty identified as one of its priorities.
The WIMD 2025 data puts the proportion of children in income deprivation across Wales at 38.7%. The measure is based on income-related benefits and tax credits, and provides a snapshot using data from March 2024.
There is a significant North Wales dimension to the figures.
The Welsh Government says some of the highest concentrations of income deprivation are found in North Wales coastal towns, while Rhyl West 2 in Denbighshire is ranked as the most income-deprived small area in Wales. It also remains the most deprived area overall in the 2025 WIMD, retaining the position it held in 2019.
Three other areas of Rhyl feature in the top 10 most deprived areas overall, with Rhyl South West 2 ranked fifth and Rhyl West 1 and Rhyl West 3 ranked ninth and tenth respectively. Queensway 1 in Wrexham is also in the top 10, ranked seventh.
The Welsh Government says its response includes expanding funded childcare for two-year-olds, extending free school meal eligibility in secondary schools and developing the proposed Cynnal child payment pilot.
Cynnal is intended to provide a weekly payment to young children in low-income households in a limited number of local authority areas. The Welsh Government says it is seeking assurances from the UK Government that payments will not affect families' entitlement to other benefits.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equalities Sioned Williams said the latest analysis demonstrated the need for what she described as "rapid and radical action" to tackle child poverty.
The government is also developing a new Child Poverty Strategy, which it says will include targets and measures for tracking progress.
The WIMD is designed to identify areas with concentrations of different types of deprivation rather than measure the circumstances of every individual household. The Welsh Government cautions that people experiencing deprivation can live in areas which are not among the most deprived in the overall ranking.
