[UK] Half of London’s lowest-paid workers have had to rely on foodbanks

In the UK, new research has revealed that more than half of Londoners who do not earn a "real living wage" have been forced to turn to food banks for support in the last year, BBC News reports.

The Living Wage Foundation (LWF) commissioned the survey for its annual report exploring the realities of life for the 574,000 Londoners who are paid less than £13.15 an hour; a figure it calls the capital’s real living wage.

Polling by Survation reportedly found that 23 per cent of the capital’s lowest-paid workers go to a food bank once a week or more. A further 28 per cent said they had visited at least once in the last year.

Responding to the report, a government spokesperson told BBC News that mass dependence on foodbanks was “unacceptable” and said it was “changing the rules to put more money in working people’s pockets”.

According to the survey, 36 per cent of those earning less than the "real living wage" had “skipped meals regularly for financial reasons” in the last year and 45 per cent say that they are worse off than they were a year ago.

More than two-thirds of London’s lowest-paid workers said that earning less than the real living wage was worsening their anxiety levels, 66 per cent said it was affecting their quality of sleep and 57 per cent said it was impacting their physical health.

The Resolution Foundation calculates the London "real living wage" rate for the LWF as the minimum amount needed to meet the cost of living in London, based on a basket of household goods and services.

The rate differs from the government’s National Living Wage. This minimum legal hourly rate of pay for those aged 21 and over is currently set at £11.44 across the UK.

Workers aged between 18 and 21 are entitled to the lower rate of £8.60 an hour.

Emily Hodgson - head of partnership and campaigns at the LWF - told BBC News, “As inflation eases, it’s important to remember that low-paid Londoners continue to face the brunt of persistent high prices.

“Our findings today highlight the detrimental impact this continues to have on their mental and physical health.

"We’re grateful to the 4,001 London employers who continue to demonstrate their commitment to providing a real living wage to their workers, ensuring they are paid enough to meet their everyday needs.”

In response to the LWF’s latest report, a government spokesperson said, “The mass dependence on food banks is unacceptable, which is why we are changing the rules to put more money in working people’s pockets, including younger workers.

“We have been clear that we need to consider the impact on businesses, the employment prospects of young people and the impact on the wider economy, which is what we have instructed the Low Pay Commission to do.

“We believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay and by working in conjunction with business, that’s exactly what our Make Work Pay plans will do.”

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, new research has revealed that more than half of Londoners who do not earn a "real living wage" have been forced to turn to food banks for support in the last year, BBC News reports.

The Living Wage Foundation (LWF) commissioned the survey for its annual report exploring the realities of life for the 574,000 Londoners who are paid less than £13.15 an hour; a figure it calls the capital’s real living wage.

Polling by Survation reportedly found that 23 per cent of the capital’s lowest-paid workers go to a food bank once a week or more. A further 28 per cent said they had visited at least once in the last year.

Responding to the report, a government spokesperson told BBC News that mass dependence on foodbanks was “unacceptable” and said it was “changing the rules to put more money in working people’s pockets”.

According to the survey, 36 per cent of those earning less than the "real living wage" had “skipped meals regularly for financial reasons” in the last year and 45 per cent say that they are worse off than they were a year ago.

More than two-thirds of London’s lowest-paid workers said that earning less than the real living wage was worsening their anxiety levels, 66 per cent said it was affecting their quality of sleep and 57 per cent said it was impacting their physical health.

The Resolution Foundation calculates the London "real living wage" rate for the LWF as the minimum amount needed to meet the cost of living in London, based on a basket of household goods and services.

The rate differs from the government’s National Living Wage. This minimum legal hourly rate of pay for those aged 21 and over is currently set at £11.44 across the UK.

Workers aged between 18 and 21 are entitled to the lower rate of £8.60 an hour.

Emily Hodgson - head of partnership and campaigns at the LWF - told BBC News, “As inflation eases, it’s important to remember that low-paid Londoners continue to face the brunt of persistent high prices.

“Our findings today highlight the detrimental impact this continues to have on their mental and physical health.

"We’re grateful to the 4,001 London employers who continue to demonstrate their commitment to providing a real living wage to their workers, ensuring they are paid enough to meet their everyday needs.”

In response to the LWF’s latest report, a government spokesperson said, “The mass dependence on food banks is unacceptable, which is why we are changing the rules to put more money in working people’s pockets, including younger workers.

“We have been clear that we need to consider the impact on businesses, the employment prospects of young people and the impact on the wider economy, which is what we have instructed the Low Pay Commission to do.

“We believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay and by working in conjunction with business, that’s exactly what our Make Work Pay plans will do.”

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)