Welsh Government, Social Research Number: 64/2017
The Welsh Government’s Child Poverty Strategy provides a framework for improving the outcomes of low income households in Wales. It aims to reduce poverty, especially persistent poverty amongst some of our poorest people and communities, and also to reduce the likelihood that people will become poor.
In 2014-15, the National Survey included a series of questions on the material deprivation of households and of children as a way of measuring poverty and in particular capturing the consequences of long-term poverty on households, rather than short-term financial strain.
For each of nine items, each respondent was asked if they could afford it, didn’t need it, or would like it but could not afford it. For example:
- Do you and your family/partner have household contents insurance?
- Do you and your family/partner replace any worn out furniture?
- How well are you keeping up with your bills and credit commitments at the moment?
- In winter, are you able to keep this accommodation warm enough?
Respondents with dependent children1 living in the household were asked an additional series of questions regarding child specific measures of deprivation, e.g.:
- Does/do your child/ren have a warm winter coat?
- Does/do your child/ren do a hobby or leisure activity?
- Does/do your child/ren go on school trips?
Households lacking several items on the first list were classed as being in “household material deprivation”; and those lacking several items on the second list were classed as in “child specific material deprivation”.