Poll: Around 25% of young people in the lowest-income households feel “people like me don’t have much of a chance in life”
A Troubling Lack of Opportunity for Young People in Poverty
A recent survey by the UK’s Office for National Statistics found that around 25% of young people aged 16–17 from the lowest-income households in England feel that “people like me don’t have much of a chance in life”. This statistic highlights the significant barriers and lack of opportunity facing youth growing up in poverty in the United States as well.
Despite being the wealthiest nation in the world, the US has some of the highest rates of childhood poverty among developed countries. Over 10 million children live in households with incomes below the federal poverty line, which is just $27,750 for a family of four.
Growing up in poverty exposes young people to a host of challenges that can severely limit their life prospects, from food insecurity and unstable housing to poor health outcomes and underfunded schools. These early…