ONE in four children in the east of Musselburgh are living below the poverty line, according to sobering new figures released this week.

The End Child Poverty campaign statistics show that nearly 19 per cent of children across East Lothian are impoverished, but they also reveal the vast gulf between some wards in the county compared to others.

East Lothian Council leader Councillor Willie Innes (Lab) said the figures were “a concern” and blamed the Scottish Government’s policy of universal benefits, calling for money to be directly targeted towards the poorest families.

He said: “The situation among poor people has got worse and, while universal benefits are popular, they are taking money away from those most in need.

“We have free prescriptions and free school meals for everybody, including those who do not need them, when the money should be directly targeted to those who really need it.

“I qualify for free prescriptions, but can afford to pay. It is time the Scottish Government looked at their policies and ensured the money goes to those most in need.” The number of children living in hardship in East Lothian falls just below the national average of 20 per cent and varies greatly from ward to ward.

In North Berwick Coastal ward, just over 10 per cent of children are classed as being below the poverty line, but in Musselburgh East and Carberry it soars to 25.18 per cent.

Musselburgh West has 16.9 per cent of children in families struggling to cope with the cost of living.

Musselburgh East councillor Stuart Currie, leader of the council’s SNP opposition, said local authority cuts to funding were a factor in the latest figures.

He said: “These figures are concerning for our county and in particular my own ward.

“Sadly the Labour/Tory coalition in East Lothian has cut funding for initiatives to tackle child poverty over the past two and half years, such as free school meals for all P1-3 children in areas of most need.

“Our communities need investment instead of cuts; that is the only way to seriously tackle the tragedy of child poverty in East Lothian.

“However, of even more concern are the billions of pounds of austerity cuts still to come next year from the UK Government that have been signed up to by both Labour and the Tories in London.” Fiona O’Donnell (Lab), East Lothian MP, said the figures were “deeply worrying”.

She said: “The Tory-led Government at Westminster and the SNP Government in Edinburgh need to do more.

“Under the previous Labour Government, child poverty was halved and that progress is now being squandered, along with the life chances of far too many children.

“There can be no doubt that changes to welfare have played a major part in the increase locally.

“I am seeing more families who, despite being in work, find that their wages are not keeping up with the rise in the cost of living.

“When they ask me to help them access help from East Lothian Foodbank I often find that they can’t afford the gas or electricity to heat that food.”