One in five children in the UK struggle with talking and understanding words as the number of children with language difficulties reaches a record high, according to a new study.

Charity Speech and Language UK’s Listening to Unheard Children report found that the number of children estimated to be behind with talking and understanding words has increased from 1.7 million last year to 1.9 million this year.

The report, based on a YouGov poll of 1,000 teachers, also found that 80% said children in their classroom were behind with talking and/or understanding words, and 73% said children’s speech and language was not prioritised by the government.

The charity is calling for more training for early years practitioners and teachers to help them spot and support children struggling with talking and understanding words.

It also says the guidance for government-funded Family Hubs, which bring together support services for families and children, needs to be changed to allow the delivery of language and communication programmes for younger children. The organisation believes current guidance actively disincentivises the delivery of language and communication support for under-threes.

Jane Harris, chief executive of Speech and Language UK, said:  “The current Family Hubs guidance only includes support for language and communication in the home learning environment stream, which starts from the age of three.  Speech and language is only mentioned as an option to fund when children are three years old.”

She added: “We know some Family Hubs have wanted to prioritise this much earlier but haven’t felt able to because they felt the guidance didn’t allow them to do this. We think this is a huge mistake because the sooner children get help with talking and understanding words, the better.”

Speech and Language UK is calling for all political parties to prioritise children with speech and language challenges, who are more likely to fail in key subjects at school, have mental health problems, and to be out of work as an adult.

“As we approach a General Election, all political parties must put speech, language and communication skills at the centre of their education plans,” said Harris. “1.9 million children in the UK are relying on us to act. After all the challenges our education system has endured recently, they can’t afford to wait.”