Around eight in ten children living in poverty in parts of Barnet are in families with working parents, according to new figures.

All three Barnet constituencies saw child poverty in working families rise by more than ten percentage points between 2015 and 2019, the analysis of Government data reveals.

In Hendon, 80.8 per cent of children in poverty are now in working families, while the figure is 77.1 per cent in Finchley and Golders Green and 75.8 per cent in Chipping Barnet.

The figures are for children under the age of 16, who are classed as in poverty if they live in a household whose income is 60 per cent below the median income. They do not account for housing costs, which are particularly high in London.

Overall in London, child poverty increased from 14.2 per cent to 17.5 per cent before housing costs – despite a small decline in the number in poverty without working parents.

All of the increase is accounted for by the rise in the number of children in poverty whose parents work.

The figures come from an analysis of data from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) carried out by Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty Coalition – a group of 70 UK charities, faith groups, unions and community organisations campaigning for an end to child poverty in the UK.

The coalition has called on the Government to commit to an ambitious strategy to end child poverty in the aftermath of coronavirus, amid fears the pandemic will draw more families below the poverty line.

Anna Feuchtwang, chair of End Child Poverty and chief executive of the National Children’s Bureau, said: “Ending child poverty must be at the heart of the Government’s plan for economic recovery, so that when this crisis is over all children can enjoy a life free from poverty in which they are healthy, can thrive at school and have opportunities for the future.”

The coalition has suggested several ways in which the Government could increase household income during the coronavirus crisis.

These include increasing child benefit by at least £10 per child per week, scrapping the benefit cap and the two-child limit on benefits, and ending the five week wait for Universal Credit.

A Government spokesman said: “This Government understands the challenges many are facing, which is why we injected £6.5 billon into the welfare system, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 a year, as well as rolling out income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters.

“We currently spend a record £95 billion a year on our safety net welfare system and remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable in society throughout the current emergency and beyond.”