Children in workless homes increase to 12-year high

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 3, 2026

The number of children living in UK households with no employed adults rose to 1.54 million in the three months to June, reaching a 12-year high and increasing by 68,000 from the previous year. This trend raises concerns about long-term poverty and educational challenges for affected children, especially as youth unemployment and benefit claims without work requirements continue to grow.

The number of children living in workless households in the United Kingdom has reached a 12-year high, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the three months to June, 1.54 million children were recorded as living in households where no one was employed, marking an increase of 68,000 compared with the same period a year earlier. This figure represents the highest level since December 2014.

The rise coincides with an increase in the number of individuals claiming benefits without a requirement to seek employment, a trend that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this group, the number of children living in households where no adult has ever worked rose to 252,000 in the latest quarter, up by 84,000 from the previous year.

These statistics have raised concerns about the long-term implications for children growing up in workless environments. Additional data released last week indicated that 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are not engaged in education, employment, or training (NEET), highlighting broader challenges in youth employment and social mobility.

Ben Gregg, head of welfare at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasized the critical role of parental employment in shaping children’s future prospects. He noted that children from workless households are significantly more likely to experience deep material poverty, underperform academically, and face worklessness themselves in adulthood. Gregg called on the Labour Party to focus on reducing these numbers to improve life outcomes for affected children.

The total number of workless households across the UK also increased to 3.61 million in the three months to June, rising by 147,000 compared to a year earlier. In response to the data, Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, attributed the surge to Labour’s policies, accusing the party of implementing “job-killing” measures and failing to reform welfare adequately.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for comment on the recent figures but has not issued a response at this time.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.