Home›Global Markets›North America›Millions of UK low-income households struggle to affor…

Millions of UK low-income households struggle to afford essentials

A Joseph Rowntree Foundation survey found 62% of low-income families could not afford an essential item in the past six months, up to 7.4 million households.

Reported · Written up by our desk · North America

Almost two-thirds of low-income families in the UK say they struggle to afford essentials such as clothes, heating and food, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a UK anti-poverty charity cited by BBC Business.

The charity said a record 62% of low-income families were unable to afford an essential item in the past six months, which it described as the equivalent of 7.4 million households, up from 7.1 million a year earlier. Nearly half of those surveyed reported skipping meals or cutting portion sizes to save money.

BBC Business also highlighted government plans associated with newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has promised “breathing space” for households, including cutting VAT on electricity bills from October. The charity said it wants the prime minister to do more by increasing the value of the Warm Home Discount to cover all households on low incomes.

In testimony included by the outlet, pensioner Elaine Yates said she cannot remember the last time she used an oven for a hot meal, and described keeping heating at a low 13C. The article also includes an account from single parent Zoe Hayden, who said rising costs remain a challenge when feeding her family despite having cleared debt after redundancy.

More like this

Sources