MORE than a quarter of  Wee County children are living in poverty, with one Clacks neighbourhood holding some of the worst poverty rates in the country, according to new findings.

An interactive map, which gathers data from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Office for National Statistics and Scottish Government statistics, allows users to select their area and view child poverty rates near them.

According to the map, 27.3 per cent of Clacks children are living in poverty for the year spanning 2022-23, compared to 20.1 per cent of kids in Great Britain as a whole.

The map allows users to click on individual areas in Clackmannanshire, to see where poverty hotspots exist.

Due to its size, Alloa was broken up into several neighbourhoods – North, West and South and East.

Alloa South and East was found to have some of the worst poverty rates, not only in Clacks, but in the country overall.

More than half the children living in the area are living below the breadline, with 50.3 per cent highlighted.

Almost a quarter of kids in Alloa North were in poverty, at 24.8 per cent, while Alloa West was significantly lower at 15.3 per cent.

Nearby Sauchie didn’t fare much better, with 37.1 per cent of kids struggling to get by, the second worst rates in the Wee County.

Next up was Tillicoultry at 33.6 per cent, while Fishcross, Devonside and Coalsnaughton - areas grouped as one - with 32.9 per cent of kids living in poverty.

Similarly to Alloa, Tullibody was also split up into two areas – South and North, with Glenochil also added into North’s area.

Tullibody North and Glenochil flagged up 30.2 per cent, whereas south was marginally lower at 23.3 per cent.

Clackmannan, Kennet and Forestmill to the east of Clacks were also all grouped together, with the map having them down at 25.4 per cent in 2022-23.

Alva had 25.1 per cent, Kincardine at 21.9 per cent, with the last two Wee County neighbourhoods having a bigger drop in their figures.

One in 10 kids in Menstrie were living in poverty at 10.9 per cent, while Dollar and Muckhart had the lowest figures in Clacks overall at 6.8 per cent.

Ellen Forson, Clacks Council leader, said: “It is utterly unacceptable that in 2024, so many children continue to live in poverty.

“That is why tackling poverty is a top priority for Clackmannanshire Council and we have chosen to invest in mitigations to help reduce the cost of living for our families and improve their wellbeing and capabilities.

“Recent economic modelling estimates that actions like these, and those taken by the Scottish Government, mean that child poverty rates will be 10 and seven percentage points lower than they would have otherwise been – and this is improving the lives of children in our local communities.”

Over the past few years, Clacks Council has also introduced measures to counteract child poverty in the area and in schools.

These included having just over 2000 pupils take up the Free School Meals scheme, extending eligibility for the FSM, funding 15 work placements for parents and supplying 216 kids with free childcare including breakfast clubs, supper clubs and hot meals.