WE reported that more than a quarter of children in Oxford were living in poverty before the coronavirus pandemic – and that the figure may have grown since.

Data collated by the End Child Poverty Coalition reveals that, in the run-up to March 2020, a total of 7,061 children were living in families that were below the breadline in Oxford.

ALSO READ: Quarter of Oxford children live in poverty

This equates to 26 per cent of all children living in the city being classified as living in poverty –which represents a small decrease over the last five years.

Here is what our readers said on Facebook and on the Oxford Mail website about the problem.

EMMA MATHIESON: "So sad no child should go hungry."

MARK LLEWELLYN FRANKS: "We have a benefit system and economic system which encourages people to do nothing and get in debit and use babies as a piggy bank. It is not poor people fault, it is the systems fault, which purposely creates the perfect storm, that not only encourages bad behaviour but provides no support out of poverty."

WILL BAYLISS: "Oxford needs a similar system to the London waiting due to high cost of living. Employers, especially those that are based elsewhere in the country actually have no idea how expensive it is here just to get by."

TERRI PEARCE: "Because the cost of housing around here is beyond ridiculous this is just one of the results."

MATTHEW ANDREW: "Nathan Nathan no it’s not the kids fault but how many are truly in poverty and are not subject to selfish parents who’s priority’s are so wrong . The problem is the more we give the more people take and expect . At some point the parents need to take responsibility."

BOB BAILEY: "The housing market needs a big overhaul in the whole of the country, hyper inflation in the housing market needs looking at then housing can be made really affordable."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER, 'THE ANGRY WEASEL': "A family can be ticking along nicely and then catastrophe falls in some form or other, often redundancy, sometimes death. Relationship breakdown, illness.

"You can delude yourself that all will be well, but it won't, and the evidence, should you chose to look at it, is there before you."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER, 'G-MA': "Relative poverty is still poverty and there needs to be an end to the idea of the undeserving poor."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER, 'FRILLSOFOX': "If Oxford is so expensive and pushing people into poverty, perhaps they should move to cheaper parts of country. People on benefits should have something to work towards not enjoying the comfort of long-term benefits."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER 'DR ROFF': "If someone has just lost their job, then a sudden drop in income might cause serious difficulties with paying the mortgage and continuing the life they've been accustomed to.

"But parents that have lived on benefits for years, possibly all their lives, should have no difficulty feeding their children."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER 'BLACKCAT70': I feel the problem is people have kids and don't think it through. Sure some will have a good life, money, home etc that could fall apart leaving them in hard times.

"But there are a lot of people who just simply have kids without planning for it then realise they cant afford it."

OXFORD MAIL COMMENTER 'DER BIFFER': "I think it's time to make those who are creating most of this misery to take a share of the burden. I'm talking about those people and businesses who are basically parasites who only take from, never give to, society: landlords and loan sharks.

"They have evicted people whose livelihoods have been lost due to lockdown. They add nothing to our quality of life, always taking back more than they put in. Every person should have a roof over their head."