Growing Up Poor: Britain’s Hidden Homeless Kids

Channel 4

25 Oct

Narrated by Sheridan Smith OBE actress and singer and directed by BAFTA-winning director Jezza Neumann, Channel 4 spent a summer term with three boys from the same class, struggling with poverty, homelessness and overcrowding.

These three kids speak for over 4 million children growing up in poverty, and the three quarters of a million that are homeless or in over-crowded housing in Britain today. As the safety net of the temporary universal credit uplift disappears, the furlough scheme now over, fuel prices at an all-time high, and landlords once again able to evict tenants, homelessness is threatening some of Britain’s most vulnerable children. Children’s charities warn a perfect storm is coming.

Farley Junior Academy is on the edge of Luton, in one of the most deprived wards in Britain. During the pandemic the partial closure of the airport – the biggest source of jobs in the area – hit the town hard. Schools across Luton found families were struggling more than ever.

Kai, Qasim and Yaqub, are in Year 4 and all get help from the school’s pastoral care team, Alefa and Nicola. Kai lives on the outskirts of Luton. He shares an over-crowded two bedroom house with five others: his mum, step dad, sister and two brothers.

Kai’s mother is bidding for a bigger council house but has been on the waiting list for eight years. Even though his mum has a full-time job as a care co-ordinator, after paying for housing, utilities, transport and debt repayments Kai’s family are left with just £8 per person per day to spend on food, clothing and anything else they need. Kai’s mother still has to rely on universal credit to get by, but a recent change in her job title has led to her universal credit payments being put on hold – so things are harder than ever. Three quarters of children who are growing up in poverty have a working parent. Kai’s family would struggle without the help they get from the school.

Kai says: “School gives us lots of food to help us a lot because she (mum) could get a little poor and...it would be hard for her to pay for food. I know other families they help. They’ve once helped Yaqub, they’ve helped Qasim before they’ve helped me a lot, they’ve helped me the most, of I know of... My mum has been on a bidding list for about nine to ten years, yeah and she hasn’t gone nowhere… I want my own room because… it’s hard for me to sleep”.

The overcrowding and lack of sleep have badly affected Kai’s schoolwork. 9 out of 10 teachers surveyed by Shelter said homelessness and bad housing led to children arriving late for classes. 9-year-old Qasim, a friend of Kai’s, has been repeatedly late to school.

The lack of sleep and constant worries over eviction have taken their toll on Qasim’s education too. On average the most deprived children lost around four months learning through lockdown. But in Luton, children are now more than 7 months behind those from well off backgrounds.

Qasim lives in temporary accommodation with his three brothers, two sisters and their dad, Faahid. As a single dad of six children including twins not yet in school Faahid can’t go back to work, so they live on universal credit. After council tax, rent arrears, utilities and transport, Qasim’s family are left with £6.50 a day each to cover food, clothing and anything else they need. The price of two high street coffees.

Qasim’s 13-year-old sister Naila isn’t only worried about the bills. The family were evicted from their last house with just a week’s notice from their private landlord. She’s haunted by the fear that the same could happen again. Qasim says: “I kinda hate it, I can’t hang things up, I might want to make a poster and hang it up on the wall but I can’t”. His father says: “he can’t put posters up or any pictures he colours in. It’s a breach of the licensing agreement... it’s the rules, you have to follow them unfortunately, it's either that or you’re at risk of putting yourself out on the streets”.

Despite the eviction ban a family became homeless every 3 minutes during national lockdown. The number of children in Britain who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation has gone up by over 50% in the last seven years. Child Poverty Action Group predicts that ending the temporary Universal credit uplift could push 300,000 more children into poverty, and 100,000 more households will be at risk of eviction.

While the end of the school year is welcomed by the kids, for their parents it means 6 weeks of no free school meals… for Kai, Qasim and Yaqub the Farley Junior Academy pastoral care team ensure they receive food and support over the summer holidays.

RUNTIME:
47 Minutes

PRODUCER:
Carla Grande

DIRECTOR:
Jezza Neumann

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Brian Woods

RELEASED:
2021