Moray Council's highest and lowest areas of child poverty just a mile apart in Elgin, report finds

Moray’s highest and lowest areas of child poverty were both located in Elgin, just a mile apart, a new report has revealed.

Figures from a report to be presented at Wednesday’s community planning board meeting, show the town was starkly divided in terms of the percentage of children living in poverty.

The new data, covering the period 2023/24, revealed that New Elgin East was the worst area in Moray for child poverty for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, Elgin Central West had the area’s lowest levels of relative child poverty.

Relative poverty is when a household earns less than 60% of the average UK income – around £22,000 during the time period of the data.

In total, 309 children were living in relative poverty in New Elgin East – nearly half of all under-19s in the area at 42%.

This was closely followed by another area of eastern Elgin. The Elgin Cathedral to Ashgrove and Pinefield area saw 40% of young people, 280 children, living in relative poverty.

However, it was a different story for the other side of the town.

Elgin Central West had the lowest levels of relative child poverty in Moray, with just 7.8% of its under 19s living in relative poverty – a total of 37 children.

The stark contrast between New Elgin East and Elgin Central West comes despite the two areas being just a five-minute drive apart.

Members of the community planning board will look at the figures at tomorrow’s meeting.