between 1998 and 2012 the number of children living in "relative poverty" in the uk had fallen by approximately 800,000 to a total of around 3.5 million. following the introduction of the welfare reform act 2012 the number of children in "relative poverty" increased, with the total by 2019 around 600,000 higher than it had been in 2012. during those seven years the number of children obtaining food from the food banks of the trussell trust more than tripled.