Child poverty in Elmbridge is among the 20 lowest in the country, but many families are fighting a day-to-day battle to survive.

Despite hosting some of the most expensive houses in the country, with an average house in Cobham now worth £1,003,400, more than 10 per cent of children live in poverty in seven wards.

It has one of Surrey's highest population densities, and huge differences wealth result in hidden pockets of poverty.

In 2013 Walton North had the highest level of children in poverty, with 25 per cent affected, and that has now risen to 26.67 per cent.

Councillor Rachael Lake, representing Walton North, said: "Child poverty shouldn't be anywhere. Every child deserves a good start.

"In this day and age, to say that we have child poverty even though our numbers are small, is poor, and it needs to be addressed."

Speaking of a family in her ward who suddenly found themselves struggling financially, but were reluctant to go to a foodbank, Coun Lake said: "I had to sit and talk to them about why the foodbank was there and why they had a right to use it.

"Everybody that I've met is exceptionally grateful, but feel really awkward about going.

"I have quite a few families who have used foodbanks often, but food banks are not meant as a permanent solution."

Statistics gathered by Community Foundation for Surrey in 2013 showed 729 households have no central heating in wards such as Walton Central, Molesey South and Weybridge South.

Demand for food parcels at Walton and Hersham foodbank doubled in the past two years, with the number of children given three days worth of emergency food hitting 425 in 2013/2014.

The Cobham foodbank, based in one of the more affluent areas, gave 60 children three days worth of food in the same time frame.

Carol Hodges, scheme manager at Home Start Elmbridge, a charity helping parents build better lives and better futures for their children with the help of volunteers, said: "Families are referred for a number of reasons, isolation, post natal depression, disability, managing a family household, practically and financially.

"The volunteer may assist the family by attending the Citizens Advice Bureau to discuss debt management, housing offices or sit down and help with budgeting."

A council spokesman said: "For areas like Elmbridge, there may be a misconception that poverty is not an issue. However, for a small number of households in the borough it is a day-to-day challenge.

"Elmbridge has small areas where unemployment and low incomes coupled with other social issues mean that households are often reliant upon public services to get by."

The ward of Molesey East had the lowest levels, with 6.16 per cent living below the poverty line.

Figures published by the End Child Poverty campaign showed the borough as a whole has 13 per cent of children in poverty, with individual wards ranging from 6.16 per cent to 26.67 per cent.

David Holmes, chairman of the End Child Poverty campaign, said: "These figures reveal just how widely and deeply child poverty reaches into our communities, even those areas generally regarded as well off.

"Poverty ruins childhoods and reduces life chances. Failing to invest properly in children is a false economy, already child poverty costs the country £29bn each year and in the long run taxpayers will foot an even higher bill for correcting the damage."