Poverty risk higher in homes with children

The number of households with children which have had to go without heat or cannot afford a meal with meat every second day has jumped, a major survey by the CSO shows.

Families have also become more reliant on allowances to make ends meet with the risk of poverty in homes with children rising to 38.6% from 18.7% if child benefit and other allowances are taken out of the equation.

The Survey on Income and Living Conditions gathered information from private households across the country between 2004 to 2010.