Children's necessities: Trends over time in perceptions and ownership

Child poverty remains high on the UK political agenda. This paper informs these debates by examining trends over time in perceptions of child necessities, rates of child poverty and parental behaviours. Results indicate high levels of stability between 1999 and 2012 in public perceptions of child necessities, stable or increasing rates of child poverty and similarities in the profile of child poverty vulnerability. In both 1999 and 2012, findings show that the majority of parents prioritise children's needs, posing a challenge for coalition rhetoric, and suggesting that a focus on structural rather than individual causes of poverty may be needed.