UK poverty: causes, costs and solutions

Author:
JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION
Publisher:
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Publication year:
2016
Pagination:
369
Place of publication:
York

A comprehensive report on UK poverty, examining causes, costs and solutions. To be in poverty is to have resources that are well below minimum needs, as a result of a lack of resources – most obviously, income – but also of steep prices for minimum needs. Low resources and high costs cause poverty, separately or together. It is estimated that 13.5 million people live in poverty in the UK. This report explains what poverty is and what causes it, highlights trends and projections in UK poverty, and makes recommendations for tackling: the high costs driving poverty, including housing; poverty in childhood; poverty in working age; poverty in later life; poverty for people with complex needs. The report argues that the problem of poverty can be solved by strengthening family life, ensuring all citizens have the skills they need to operate, fixing flaws in the benefits system, taking practical action to contain rising costs, and moving to more progressive employment and business practices. Solving poverty relies on economic growth, but the proceeds need to be distributed more fairly, and the underlying causes, such as low pay, low skills and high costs, need to be reduced. Where possible, the report has costed the policy recommendations and shown where there could be savings in the long term. The report calls on national and local governments, businesses, employers, providers of essential goods and services, housing providers, public service providers, investors and philanthropists, community, faith and voluntary sector groups and citizens to work together, to reduce the risk of people falling into poverty, mitigate their experiences when they are in poverty and make it easier for them to escape from it. (Edited publisher abstract)

Subject terms:
poverty, intervention, cost of living, housing, older people, low income, children;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
United Kingdom
Link:
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