Adam Dance MP presses Government on rising child poverty in Yeovil

Adam Dance, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, has challenged the Government over its failure to tackle rising levels of child poverty in South Somerset.

In a written Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Mr Dance asked what steps are being taken to reduce child poverty in Yeovil constituency.

In response, Minister of State Alison McGovern MP confirmed that the Government plans to publish a new Child Poverty Strategy in autumn 2025, focused on four themes: increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, boosting financial resilience, and improving local support—particularly in the early years.

However, Mr Dance said the Government’s response fails to match the scale of the challenge, pointing to new figures from the House of Commons Library showing that relative child poverty in Yeovil has risen from 17.7% in 2019–20 to 20.4% in 2023–24.

“Far too many children in Yeovil are growing up in poverty, and that number is rising, not falling,” said Adam Dance MP.

“Families across our area are doing their best but facing impossible choices between heating, eating and rent. While I welcome the Government’s commitment to a strategy, the truth is that children in our community need action now, not vague plans for the autumn.”

The Government claims that recent measures, including an expansion of free school meals, a new £1 billion Crisis and Resilience Fund, and investment in affordable housing and local family support, will begin to address the issue. However, Mr Dance said rural areas like Yeovil are too often left out of national schemes.

“Tackling child poverty means investing in local services, schools, mental health support and transport - all areas where rural communities like ours have been overlooked,” he added. “The Government must do more to ensure children in Yeovil get the start in life they deserve.”