Britain’s ‘poorest still getting poorer’ as Labour urged to act on millions still in poverty
Poverty in England continues to reach record levels, with around 14.2 million people (21 per cent) still living in deprivation, a new report has found.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s (JRF) UK Poverty 2026 report warns that these figures will rise further by the end of parliament if the government does not act, while politicians and campaigners call on Labor to find a solution.
While the anti-poverty charity has welcomed the government’s move to scrap the two-child benefit cap, which will immediately lift 400,000 children out of poverty from April, it finds that 4.2 million children will still grow up in poverty by 2029 unless further action is taken.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza described the policy change as a “vital first step” but said: Independent: “If we are serious about ending child poverty, not just reducing it, we must continue to be assertive about children’s lives.”
The comprehensive JRF report reveals that the depth of poverty in the UK has reached a record high, with 6.8 million people now living in deep poverty. This means that their income reaches, at most, two-thirds of the poverty line.
Labor MP Rachael Maskell has called for a “radical plan” to end poverty, calling on the government to introduce decent rent caps, a progressive tax system and “end the focus on getting more out of disabled people”.
The report also finds that:
- The average person in poverty now lives 29 percent below the poverty line, compared to 23 percent in the mid-1990s.
- Compared to two years ago, 1.1 million more poor people lack access to adequate food, bringing the total to 3.5 million, while 2.8 million more people are food insecure, bringing the total to 7.5 million.
- Nearly two-thirds of working-age adults in poverty, 5.4 million people, live in households where someone works.
The findings reflect poverty levels in the 2023/24 period leading up to the general election. Researchers say headline figures have remained broadly stable throughout the year, but the rise in child poverty and the depth of poverty are cause for concern.
The report finds “no progress” was made in reducing poverty under the last Conservative government, and says income growth has fallen in every parliament since 2005 as successive administrations have tracked economic growth in the wake of crises such as the 2008 crisis and the Covid pandemic.
The researchers add that this trend “will continue in the current parliament” and write: “Forcing families to wait for economic growth before they feel their situation is improving is deeply unfair.”
JRF chief analyst Peter Matejic said: “The longer we tolerate unacceptable levels of poverty, the worse it will be for our country. The devastating effects of poverty on families – the exhaustion of having to work multiple jobs, not knowing where the next meal will come from – hinder both their participation in society and their scope to make a greater economic contribution. Failure to tackle poverty can hinder economic growth itself.
“The government has pledged to reduce child poverty in this parliament and this analysis is the starting line on that commitment. The JRF analysis shows that relative poverty levels remain high beyond April 2026 without further changes. There can be no national renewal if deep poverty remains near record levels.”
The foundation reiterated its call for the government to introduce a ‘basic needs guarantee’; This means setting the base rate for benefits at a level at which claimants can meet at least the basic needs of life and improve protection for people who have lost their jobs or cannot work.
Dame de Souza said: “Childhood is a short and precious time, but today’s children are more aware of ‘adult’ concerns, seeing their parents’ concerns and struggles through the hours they work, the homes they live in and the ability to put food on the table.
“Children from low-income families have told me about their deep sense of shame at not having the things that others have, things that most of us consider basic, like a warm, safe home, appropriate clothing, enough fresh food and a bed big enough to sleep in at night.”
Ms Maskell said: “The shocking data represents the story of millions of people struggling with energy, food and housing bills every day… It’s time for a radical plan to end extreme poverty. I’m calling on the government to crack down on households with children and older people as a first step, and set clear targets to protect the most vulnerable.”
Helen Barnard, Trussell’s director of policy and research, said removing the two-child allowance limit was a “vital step”, adding: “But with food banks in the Trussell community providing almost 3 million emergency parcels to people facing hunger last year, more needs to be done if we are to turn the tables on serious hardship.”
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: “To maintain our commitment for children, the next step must be greater and sustained investment in policies that support children and families. Every child deserves the best start in life, and this cannot be achieved when millions of children are living in poverty.”
A government spokesman said: “We understand that too many families are struggling and we are taking decisive action to tackle poverty by increasing the national living wage by £900, cutting energy bills by £150 from April and launching a £1bn crisis and resilience fund to help households stay afloat.
“As this report recognizes, removing the two-child limit, combined with our wider strategy, would lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, the largest reduction in a single parliament since records began.”
