The number of people in poverty in the UK continues to rise, a new report by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has revealed.
New research has found 56 per cent of people poverty are in a working family, however many are still struggling to meet ends meet and often do not have enough money to pay for basic needs come the end of the month.
Seven in 10 children in poverty are now in a working family, the charity's annual UK poverty report found.
Single parent families have been the worst affected by the trend of wages falling behind living costs, it added. Working single parents accounted for three in 10 households in poverty in 2018, compared with two in 10 in 2011.
Christian anti-poverty charity The Trussell Trust's chief executive Emma Revie said: "The findings from JRF's report today could not be clearer: for too many people it's becoming harder and harder to keep their heads above water.
"At food banks, we're seeing issues with our benefits system, like the five week wait for Universal Credit and payments not covering the cost of living, pushing more people than ever before to food banks. This isn't right. But it is something we can change.
"We need to start putting money back into the pockets of people who most need support, by ending the five week wait for Universal Credit; ensuring benefit payments cover the cost of living; and investing in local emergency support for people in crisis.
"As a country, we can't shy away from the changes that would make a real difference to pull people out of poverty and ultimately, end the need for food banks in the UK. It's in our power to make a change."
