Around 170,000 children in Northern Ireland suffer the effects of poverty, a report revealed today.
As well as missing out on new clothes, holidays and leisure activities, many young people do not receive three meals a day.
Researchers also found some 32,000 children (8 per cent) live in severe poverty.
Frances Dowds, director of the NI Anti-Poverty Network, said: "We get paid 20 per cent less on average than the rest of the UK and have a higher cost of living." Ms Dowds said weekly benefit levels had decreased by £30 since the 1970s.
New research also revealed hundreds of millions of benefits remained unclaimed as many people living below the breadline are afraid to seek all their state aid entitlements.
One study said there had been up to £427 million in unclaimed benefit between 2002 and 2004.
The report will be presented at a conference at Stormont on Friday.