Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Thanks to all at @crsp-uk.bsky.social for their hard work on the research and their continued work with Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The findings highlight the impact of rising food and household costs, wages failing to keep pace with inflation, and growth in low-paid and insecure work.

The research calls for government action to raise incomes and bring down costs so people can live with dignity.

A single person needs to earn £30,500 a year to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living.

A couple with two kids needs to earn £74,000 between them.

In total, 25.3 million people were living below MIS in 2023/24 (including working-age adults, children and pensioners).

That compares to 16.5 million in 2008/09.

Even after inflation has fallen from its late 2022 peak, rising food and household bills continue to have long-lasting effects.

For many in full-time work, pay has failed to keep up with the cost of living.

A graphic showing a female construction worker wearing a hard hat. The graphic reads "4.2 million working households made up more than two thirds (68.5%) of all the households living below MIS in 2023/34. In 2008/09 closer to half of working households (55.5%) lived below MIS.

Overall, nearly four in 10 (37.5%) of the UK population was living below MIS in 2023/24.

This is the highest level recorded since the research began in 2008/09.

For single parents working full-time, the rate below MIS has more than doubled since 2008/09. Working full-time is not a guarantee of a decent standard of living.

A graphic showing a dad playing his son. The text reads, 59.5% of single parents working full-time were below MIS in 2023/24. This is more than double the rate in 2008/9 (28.7%).

Certain groups are particularly affected:

Single parents working full-time: 59.5% (up from 28.7%).

Self-employed or part-time single adults without children: 53.0% below MIS (up from 44.5% in 2008/09).

Couples without children, not both full-time: 46.3% (up from 40.6%).

MIS reflects what the public agrees is needed to live with dignity in the UK today.

Some households below MIS may struggle to afford basics such as heating and food, while others might go without what is needed to take part in society, like a day out with their children.

Around 4.2 million working households are living below the Minimum Income Standard (MIS). That is 68.5% of all households below MIS in 2023/24.

In 2008/09, the figure was 55.5%.

A photo of JRF Chief Analyst with a quote about the latest Households Below MIS report. Peter says: When millions of lives continue to be blighted by rising costs and wages that are refusing to catch it's on all political parties to show their commitment to raising living standards. Only by bringing people's costs down and boosting their incomes will people start to feel better off by the end of the decade."

More than two-thirds of households struggling to afford a decent life are in work.

New research from @lborouniversity.bsky.social funded by JRF, sets out the scale of the problem. A 🧵

The Good Society Join the University of York, Compass and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on Friday 20 February as we partner for the launch of Professor Kate Pickett’s new book.

🗓️ Coming up on Friday!

We're supporting the launch of @profkepickett.bsky.social's new book 'The Good Society' at @york.ac.uk.

Drawing on evidence and real-world examples, it sets out how fairer societies are healthier, safer, greener, and more prosperous.

Register now: https://bit.ly/3MuOkGJ

This is how we fix Universal Credit The basic rate of benefit support falls woefully short – Iain Porter, senior policy advisor at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, explains what needs to happen now.

🗣️ 'Benefits have never been set according to any logical calculation, like the cost of food and bills.'

For @theleaduk.bsky.social, Senior Policy Adviser @iainkporter.bsky.social makes the urgent case for an independent process to set Universal Credit levels 👇

https://bit.ly/3MkEaZp

📈 This will help to improve economic security across the board.

Households could then feel supported if they face an income shock like unemployment or illness, and businesses can invest with much greater confidence.

📃 The govt must:

- Reduce the cost of essentials like energy and housing so people can afford to be their most productive selves
-Introduce a tax system that raises revenue fairly and efficiently
- Invest these resources in our public services and social security system to promote growth

🛒 Our latest cost of living tracker, published in December 2025, showed no movement in the number of people unable to afford the essentials, sitting at around 7 million in October.

The outlook for economic growth remains sluggish and as things stand living standards will not improve.

UK economic growth 'subdued' in 2025, ONS says, as GDP rises by 0.1% in final quarter - live updates The UK economy grew by 1.3% overall last year, up from 1.1% in 2024, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

🚨 Latest figures released this morning show the UK's GDP rose by just 0.1% in Q4 of 2025.

These figures show the risk of the government’s reliance on economic growth to tackle the impact the painfully high cost of living continues to have on millions of families.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy...

Heat map showing quality of work from low to high in different UK regions and universal credit caseload in UK regions from low to high.

Our analysis revealed the north-east, West Midlands and Wales - places that have some of the highest rates of universal credit claims - also have the lowest availability of good quality jobs. (Quality was based on a number of factors including pay, flexibility and security).

There are less than 5 job vacancies in rotherham for every 100 people claiming universal credit

In Pendle and Hartlepool there are around 5 job vacancies for every 100 people claiming universal credit

NEW: The government wants to boost employment among people who receive universal credit - but our analysis suggests a lack of good-quality jobs is making this near impossible. And, in some local authorities, there’s as few as 5 vacancies for every 100 people on universal credit…

Next Welsh Government must drive down poverty in Wales Now is the time for politicians in Wales to be bold, and take significant action, to ease hardship and increase economic security.

🔎 People in Wales will rightly be raising their expectations of what can be achieved with devolved powers.

All politicians hoping to be elected in May must meet the moment and deliver much needed change to people's lives.

Read the Idea piece by @cdbirt.bsky.social:

www.jrf.org.uk/social-secur...

With significant powers over things like:

- The childcare system
- Housing
- The expanding Welsh Benefits system

There is plenty that the Welsh Government can do to act, particularly with a larger and reformed Senedd that will come into play after the May elections.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Poverty levels in Wales are some of the highest anywhere in the UK, with almost 1 in 3 children growing up in poverty.

This unacceptable situation cannot persist and the next Welsh Government have both an opportunity and a duty to change this. 🔽

Chart showing working age families by employment status

Working isn't working. Our analysis confirms that work is not a guaranteed route out of poverty.

In the latest data, the majority (55 per cent) of non-pensioner families in poverty had someone in work. This is up from fewer than two-in-five families in the mid-1990s.

'Putting our values into action: Labour should make social security work for everyone who needs it' - LabourList Catherine West MP argues we need an independent, evidence-led body to asses Universal Credit to ensure it works for everyone who needs it.

As Parliament debates annual benefits 'uprating' today, great to see MPs calling out how arbitrary the process is. Support isn't linked to any calculation of essential costs, meaning 5 in 6 low-income families on Universal Credit going without essentials: labourlist.org/2026/02/valu...

YouTube video by Joseph Rowntree Foundation UK Poverty 2026 launch webinar

💻 Missed our #UKPoverty2026 webinar?

You can now watch the full session on JRF's YouTube channel, along with all of our analyst videos and the animation we worked on alongside the Grassroots Poverty Action Group (GPAG).

View them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDHrMxMG1Is

What Does ‘Lived Experience’ Really Mean? Our Panel’s Perspective Our Lived Experience Panel shares what the term ‘lived experience’ means to them, why language matters, and how genuine inclusion shapes real policy change.

Our latest blog, written by members of our Lived Experience Panel, explores the language we use and asks 'What Does Lived Experience Really Mean?'

fairbydesign.com/blog-what-li...

🔔 Final reminder!

Our AMA is happening today on Reddit's r/ukpolitics, from 12-2pm.

If there's a question you'd like to ask our fantastic analysis team, this is your chance!

Link in the quote post 🔽

UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK, and evaluates changes under the last Conservative-led Government. It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the current Government to del...

Read the ‘Carers and Poverty’ chapter of the report, starting on page 95.

www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2...

JRF estimates put the 'caring penalty' - the average amount of income lost by carers per year - at £5,000.

‼️ That's why the government can and must make a difference by strengthening the security net, including:

- Increasing Carer’s Allowance
- Introducing short- and long-term paid Carer's Leave

🫂 'Without stronger support, poverty rates for carers will continue to be higher'

In the final of our short videos for #UKPoverty2026, Lead Analyst @datataha.bsky.social explains that carers face a far higher rate of poverty than those who don't have caring responsibilities 👇