US child poverty spiked with end of Covid-19 support programs

The shadows of a man and child are cast on a wall in Davie, Florida, Oct. 9, 2020. [AP Photo]

Poverty in the United States surged dramatically in 2022, particularly among children, after social support programs put in place during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic were allowed to expire, according to data released this week by the Census Bureau.

Across the U.S, 12.4 per cent of Americans were living in poverty in 2022, up from just 7.8 per cent in 2021. The increase was even more pronounced among children, with 12.4% living in poverty last year, compared to 5.2 per cent in 2021.