21.Section 6 sets the persistent poverty target. This target relates to the percentage of children living in households whose equivalised net income has been less than 60% of median equivalised net household income for at least three out of the past four years. The target is included because longer periods in poverty can have a significant detrimental impact on children’s experiences and life chances. Research shows that children who live in persistent poverty are likely to be at risk of worse outcomes than those who live in temporary poverty, for example, being suspended or expelled from school (11% compared to 6%) or living in bad housing (48% compared to 33%).(1)
The Circumstances of Persistently Poor Children: Evidence from the Families and Children Study, DWP Research Report 487, 2008
