Current Students and Staff

// University News

15 Feb 2016

Risk of falling below decent living standard continues to rise, despite record employment, research reveals

Image: Thinkstock

Six in 10 households (2.6 million) are struggling to make ends meet, despite having someone in work. 

This is the finding of a new report produced by Loughborough University’s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) which shows that the economic security of many working families is not assured in the recovery, with the risk of falling below the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) continuing to rise for families, even with more work and slightly better pay. 

The Households Below a Minimum Income Standard 2008/09 to 2013/14 report by CRSP Research Fellow Matt Padley and Director of CRSP and Professor of Social Policy Donald Hirsch reveals how living standards have fared since the recession and its aftermath. 

While things have stopped getting worse overall, there remain many more people living on low incomes than in 2008. 

Cuts in benefits have outweighed improved job prospects to contribute to an increase in the risk of having too little income to meet the MIS - based on what the public say is needed for an acceptable standard of living. 

The report identifies 11.6 million people living below MIS in 2013/14, 28% of individuals covered by the research. This was up from 21% in 2008/09, an increase of around a third over the period. 

Click here to read the full release.