Northland social service providers aren't surprised at new figures that show the region's dire rate of child poverty.
Northland social support providers fear child poverty will worsen as fuel prices push the cost of living even higher.
According to Stats NZ, 14.3% of children lived in households experiencing material hardship in the year ended June 2025.
In Northland, the figure is higher, with 19.5% of children living in households in material hardship, Stats NZ says.
The Salvation Army says the number has reached a national 10-year high, and wants the Government to ensure wages and benefits keep pace with living costs.
Bald Angels founder Therese Wickbom said Te Tai Tokerau, along with Tairāwhiti, have topped New Zealand statistics for child poverty for some time.
“Poverty, youth suicide, truancy, rheumatic fever ... they are all inter-related,” she said.
“Poverty impacts whānau in a myriad of different ways.
“It’s not just about material hardship, it’s the psychological effects, it’s addiction, ill health, and social capacity.
“That’s why we exist unfortunately. There’s a growing need here.”
Wickbom was “very concerned” about the Iran conflict’s impact on struggling Northland communities.
The Bald Angels, a registered charity that helps the less fortunate through various programmes and initiatives, is bracing for the worst as fuel prices and economic concerns dominate headlines.
“We are preparing ourselves to cope with a greater influx of need ... if things worldwide keep deteriorating,” Wickbom said.
“The cost of fuel is going to impact the cost of everything.
“It’s going to impact everyone but if you take a whānau who are already struggling – I feel very concerned about the fallout.”
While there is no single official measure of child poverty in New Zealand, the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018 includes measures of low income, material hardship and persistent poverty.
Salvation Army principal policy analyst Paul Barber said the child poverty rate rose from 13.4% in the year to June 2024, to 14.3% in the year to June 2025.
The estimated number of children in hardship rose from 158,800 in 2024 to 169,300, an increase of 10,800.
Barber said too many children were going without the basics.
“For children and families already stretched by the rising cost of living, these figures are not just statistics, they represent everyday hardship and stress felt in communities right across the country.”
Liz Cassidy-Canning, chief executive of Whangārei kaupapa Māori support provider Whare Āwhina, said many families were living in substandard conditions and overcrowding in Northland.
“The story doesn’t really change once you’re over the [Auckland] Harbour Bridge.
“We see it in all of our infrastructure, we see it in our housing and roads.
“I’m glad the data is collecting some of what we see every day.”
Cassidy-Canning said a growing number of people needed their services, including the social supermarket and cafe.
They included beneficiaries and the working poor, she said.
“There’s a changing tide of what the need looks like; it’s getting wider.
“We know that will keep rising, particularly now.
“It’s a sad situation but not an unknown situation for Te Tai Tokerau - it never has been.”
Cassidy-Canning called on the Government and ministries to work with local providers.
“We need to come up with solutions together rather than Government-led responses.”
Barber also called on policymakers to “act decisively” to strengthen income support, improve food hardship and housing supports, and ensure wages and benefits keep pace with the cost of living.
“Consistent with responses from child poverty advocates, we echo deep concern that the rise in material hardship shows the system is not yet turning the tide.
“Urgent, targeted action is needed to ensure every family has enough to live with dignity and security.
“Without focused and sustained effort, too many of our children will continue to grow up in hardship and miss the chance for the fair start they deserve.”
Social Development Minister Louise Upston said the Government was taking action to reduce child poverty “by fixing the basics and building the future”.
The most recent statistics were expected and show no significant changes in the three primary child poverty measures compared to 2023/24, she said.
“Our Government has made a number of changes to improve the lives of Kiwi families.
“We’ve increased the in-work tax credit, lifted the threshold for Working for Families, provided working families with tax relief, reduced inflation and introduced FamilyBoost to make childcare more affordable.
“Unemployment is the last thing to come right after a recession and that is why our Government is focused on growing the economy, reducing the number of people on the jobseeker benefit and reducing the number of children in benefit dependent households.”
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.