'Recession will particularly affect families already in poverty'

09:57 20th February 2009

The recession will have the biggest impact on families that are already living in poverty, according to the Children's Society.

Penny Nicholls, the organisation's director of children and young people, said that many of the poorest families have low-paid jobs that are most at threat from the continuing economic downturn.

She said that over 20 per cent of children in the UK were living in poverty and that their plight was likely to be exacerbated by the recession as low-paid jobs were likely to be the ones axed by businesses trying to save money.

Ms Nicholls said: "Whilst this credit crunch is going on and the recession, and all the impact that we are seeing all around us, the hardest hit are going to be those people who are already currently living in poverty."

Parents could seek out computer training or IT courses in order to boost their earning potential in the current economic climate.

A recent survey from the Children's Society found that nearly 30 per cent of 17 to 19-year-olds are worried about the gloomy economic situation portrayed in news coverage.