More people live in poverty in outer London than in inner London, new research has found. The study found that 54 per cent of Londoners with low incomes live in outer London, up from half 10 years ago – and more children were affected by poverty in outer (380,000) than inner London (270,000). Overall, London
Attempts by the government to tackle low-paid jobs and poverty have failed, the Institute for Public Policy Research said yesterday. The IPPR said that persistent high levels of low pay and ‘in-work’ poverty remained despite the national minimum wage and tax credits. Five million employees, or a fifth of the UK’s workforce, are low paid,
The government has been accused of creating a poverty trap with changes to the tax credit and benefit system for up to two million low earners. Those earning just above the minimum wage and receiving housing benefit are likely to face the highest penalty, as small increases in earnings could result in a loss of
The rising cost of fuel, food and public transport has hit the poor hardest. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation calculates that the cost of living for those on a minimum household budget is rising faster than inflation. The costs for a single household on a low-income budget were up 5.3 per cent this year, followed by
A documentary has lifted the lid on rural people living in poverty, and shows the hardship and stigma faced by those living on a low income in the countryside. In the film people speak of having nowhere to live, of being unable to work because they cannot afford to run a car, or of living
Tens of thousands of tenants could benefit from an EU decision to fund a massive programme of green measures to improve social housing. The proposals will provide 1 billion euros to fund energy efficient building initiatives and renewable energy measures including insulating walls, roofing and windows, using solar panels and replacing old boilers with more
Typical householders have ‘no realistic hope’ of paying off their debts in their lifetime, Citizens Advice said today. People turning to CAB advisers for assistance owed an average of £16,971, an amount that would take 93 years to pay off. The most common reasons for debt were low incomes, over-commitment, illness or disability, and job