Study shows one in three UK families live below breadline

One in three UK families live below the breadline, despite the British economy doubling in size over the same period, a report released this afternoon shows. The largest-ever study into poverty in the UK urges the government to take measures to tackle growing levels of deprivation. The Poverty and Social Exclusion in the United Kingdom (PSE) project, led by the University of Bristol, has revealed the wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots in the UK is continuing to widen. Number living in poverty have more than doubled over the past 30 years.

Almost 18 million people are unable to afford adequate housing, while one in three do not have the money to heat their homes in winter.
 
One of the most worrying statistics in the report is the fact that most people described as living in poverty are employed, dispelling the myth propagated by ministers that poverty is a consequence of lack of work. It found that the majority of children living below the breadline live in small families with at least one employed parent.

In households that suffer from food deprivation, the study found that parents often sacrifice their own wellbeing for that of their children. In 93 percent of cases at least one parent skimped on meals “often” to make sure others had enough to eat.

According to the study, women were more likely to make sacrifices, cutting back on clothes and social visits.

“The research has shown that in many households’ parents sacrifice their own welfare – going without adequate food, clothing or a social life – in order to try to protect their children from poverty and deprivation,” Professor Jonathan Bradshaw, of the University of York, said in the PSE’s statement.

The report calls on the government to address the growing number of poor in the UK. "The UK government continues to ignore the working poor; they do not have adequate policies to address this growing problem," said Nick Bailey, a researcher from the University of Glasgow.

The UK government, has criticized the new study, saying the numbers as misleading. A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "As part of our long-term economic plan, the government is committed to tackling the root causes of child poverty."

Helen O’Brien, CEO of Caritas Social Action said: “This shocking report further highlights the ever growing reality of in-work poverty and the increasing number of households who are living below the minimum standard of living in the UK due to a lack of income.
 
In one of the world’s wealthiest countries families should not have to be deprived of food, heating and clothing due to insufficient income. Steps need to be taken to ensure the labour market provides just pay and fair conditions that will enable individuals to flourish, whilst also guaranteeing a minimum standard of living.”

Read the full PSE statement here:
www.poverty.ac.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/17Jun14%20Poverty%20in%20the%20UK%20press%20release_PSE%20conference.pdf