MORE than 5,000 children in Southend were living in poverty before the Covid pandemic, with charities fearing the number could increase even further. Figures show 5,670 children in Southend aged under 16 were living in families with low incomes in 2019-20 - 15.8 per cent of all youngsters in the area. Although this was down slightly from 16 per cent the year before, it was above the 14 per cent seen in 2014-15, when records began. Families are included if they have claimed child benefit alongside another means of support, such as Universal Credit, tax credits or housing benefit. Natasha Copus, project manager at Southend Foodbank, fears numbers could rise further once furlough has ended, stressing the importance of reaching those in “hidden poverty”.