Impetus' response to the findings of the “UK Poverty 2026” report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

"4.5 million children growing up in poverty – 3 in 10 in the UK – is an inexcusable figure, with consequences that can cast a long shadow over a young person’s life.

We know that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds face systematically worse outcomes at every stage in the journey from school to work. They're 2.5 times more likely to be persistently absent from school, five times more likely to be permanently excluded from school, 30% less likely to get good GCSEs, and twice as likely to be not in education, employment, or training (NEET). These outcomes get worse the longer a young person spends on Free School Meals, yet the poverty rate has not meaningfully improved in 14 years.

This is not a status quo we can accept.

The upcoming Schools White Paper offers a real opportunity to intervene early, disrupting this cycle before challenges become entrenched. We endorse the Government’s renewed focus on creating inclusive mainstream schools that can effectively identify needs early and provide timely support – including for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), but also going further. By strengthening targeted and universal support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, we can boost school attendance, reduce exclusions, address SEND early, and ensure every young person has the chance to thrive."