Britain’s lowest-paid workers say finances have never been worse

theguardian.com:

Almost 80% of the UK’s lowest-paid workers say they are now facing the toughest financial squeeze of their lifetimes, according to new research by the Living Wage Foundation.

Liz Truss has averted a further increase in utility bills with her “energy price guarantee” – a radical measure that could cost taxpayers more than £100bn – but many poorer households are already struggling to make ends meet.

A poll of more than 2,000 workers earning less than the real living wage of £9.90 an hour, or £11.05 in London, found that 78% said this was the worst financial period they had ever faced.

More than half had used a food bank in the past year, while 42% reported regularly skipping meals for financial reasons. More than a fifth of these workers, 21%, said they had no money at all left over after paying for essentials, such as rent and food.

Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation said: “Everyone is feeling the pressure from soaring inflation, but our polling shows that low-paid workers are being hit harder than most. These shocking findings bring to life what it’s like to be paid less than a real living wage during a cost of living crisis.”

She added: “It’s more important than ever that those employers who can, step up and provide a wage based on the cost of living.”

As many as 4.8 million people in the workforce have earnings of less than the real living wage. The rates are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation thinktank, based on the minimum income required to cover the basic costs of living.

More than two-thirds of the workers surveyed said their financial situation was negatively affecting their levels of anxiety, and their overall quality of life – with women particularly badly affected.

The Living Wage