More children in Wrexham and Flintshire were living in poverty during the first full year of the coronavirus pandemic than ever recorded before, figures show.

Department for Work and Pensions data shows 6,434 children aged under 16 were living in families with low incomes in Wrexham during 2020-21 – an estimated 24.8% of all youngsters in the area.

That was up from 21.4% the year before, and the highest since comparable records began in 2014-15 – when the figure stood at 16.1%.

While 6,092 children aged under 16 were living in families with low incomes in Flintshire during 2020-21 – an estimated 21.2% of all youngsters in the area.

That was up from 15.8% the year before, and the highest since comparable records began when the figure stood at 14.3%.

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A family is defined as in low income if it earns less than 60% of the national median household income before housing costs are considered.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of The Child Poverty Action Group , said: "Many of the children who were lifted out of poverty by the £20 increase to Universal Credit have already been forced back over the brink by the Government’s actions.

"And as millions struggle with spiralling costs, we know the picture will worsen."

Of the children aged 0-15 in poverty in Wrexham last year, 1,970 (31%) were aged below five. That number was 1,759 (29%) in Flintshire.

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There were also 1,313 young people aged 16-19 in low income families in Wrexham and 1,358 in Flintshire.

Meanwhile, the majority of youngsters aged 0-19, 72%, were in working households for both areas.

Action for Children said the Government risks failing on its manifesto pledge to cut child poverty and force millions of families into years of "miserable hardship" without further measures.

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Imran Hussain, director of policy and campaigns at the organisation, said: "As prices continue to rise, more low-income parents who were just about managing could go under, with no tips, tricks or hacks left to stretch their income over the month.

"As well as the current cost of living crisis, many families with children are still reeling from October’s £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit."

The Department for Work and Pensions said the data should be treated with caution, especially when compared with previous years, due to changes in data collection during lockdowns, which affected the sample size and composition.