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In some parts of Merseyside nine children out of ten are classed as living in poverty.

As well as the daily struggle and the real impact on peoples lives how affluent you are makes a major impact on life expectancy, a child born in parts of Liverpool and Knowsley is likely to die six or seven years earlier than one born in more wealthy areas of Wirral.

The Labour government pledged to half child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020 and since 1999, 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty across the country by extra funding on tax credits and benefits, recently though progress has stalled and in the last two years child poverty has risen slightly.

Families are classed as living in poverty if their income is 60% or less than the average income, this figure includes families living on benefits and those in part time or low paid work.

In real terms poverty means bringing up a family of four on a budget of £11 a day.

Caring for the family

14 year old Kerry lives in Liverpool with her father and grandfather.

Her father is unable to work due to sickness so the family rely on benefits and Kerry looks after her father and grandfather, as well as herself.

Could your family live on £11 a day?

When her father’s marriage to her step mother ended the family were left homeless, “Well, my step mum and my Dad's marriage broke up and she kicked us out,” says Kerry.

“And at first, she said I could stay, but then she said “No, you're gonna go with your Dad.”

“And we had to get in the car and go, like, straight away.

Kerry and her father ended up spending Christmas in a hostel, “We were on our own in that homeless hostel on Christmas Day.

“I got to open my presents on, like, a freezing cold floor”, Kerry remembers.

Kerry now has a roof over her head but still has to care for her father and Grandfather, “My new house is great.

“There's me, my Dad, my Grandad, my boxer dog and my Grandad's two Yorkshire terriers.

“My Dad, he's got two illnesses, diabetes and epilepsym, my Grandad - he's got diabetes.

One child in four in the North West is in poverty

As a result Kerry has to take the lead in looking after the family, “I've got to cook the tea.

“I've got to make sure they get their insulin and the tablets and things like that.

“Then I'll wash the dishes and then I'll have a couple of hours to myself outside.”

It’s hard work for Kerry and the family’s lack of money means she stands out amongst her peers, “Well, kids at school tease me, cos I dress different and things like that,” she says.

“I can't get new uniforms and all that, the school have to give me them.

"They've all got, like, top class trainers and things like that, where I've just got boring school shoes.

"I know my Dad's got to pay food, bills and things like that, and like, there's no money left.

"Sometimes he'll have a spare couple of quid you can spend on….. like, whatever."

What little money that is left over is only ever enough for Kerry to treat herself to some sweets.

A place to call home

15 year old John has lived in several different areas around Merseyside, his family have been repeatedly evicted and had trouble with neighbours.

On one occasion John and his family lost all their possessions and he arrived at his new home with only the clothes he stood up in, “Arriving to the house, it was a disgrace to be honest,” says John.

Money is tight for many families

“I mean, there was bars on the window, bars on the doors, it was like they were trying to keep out a tank or something

“It was just hell, to be honest.

“I mean, sleeping on just a mattress, no quilt, no pillow, just a mattress, no heating or nothing.

“It was just cold and dark, it was scary at first, but you get used to it, to be honest.”

Many of the homes John’s lived in have been the target for crime and vandalism, “We’ve had lads throwing bricks at the windows,” he says.

“There was people breaking in and fireworks through the letter box, they'd throw stuff at the house. 

“They'd actually pick on my little sister, sometimes I had to go out and face them and tell them to get away. 

After numerous moves John is hoping that his family have finally found a home they can settle in, “The house that we're in now, we're not moving from it, this is actually the home that we're sticking to.

“It feels, quite great, to be honest, cos I've still got me family, and I've still got me friends.

“And if I didn't have them, I don’t know what I would do.”

As the Labour Party meets in Manchester for its annual conference the BBC in the North West will be looking at the issue of child poverty in a special series "1 child in 4".

North West Tonight, BBC local radio and BBC online in the North West will be speaking to children, parents, charities and politicians.