Low-Earning Workers are New 'Invisible Poor'

The National Consumer Council (NCC) has identified Britain's "invisible poor": low-earning singletons.

According to the report, the government's focus on other needy groups such as young families, unemployed people and pensioners has led to five million people struggling to make ends meet while not receiving help from tax breaks and other benefits. The NCC also cited case studies of some of the group, including that of a woman who spent just 8p on noodles for her lunch each day due to her very small food budget.

The types of jobs which the "invisible poor" were found to be working in included those which required long shifts, irregular hours and a single day off per week rather than two. Many also take on more work in order to pay for Christmas.

Commenting on the report, NCC's Nicola O'Reilly said: "There are a lot of assumptions on the part of society and the government that this group is all right because it has no ties. Like a duck on water, they look fine on the surface, but there is a lot going on underneath just to stay still. If you are continually being ground down like that, your aspirations are going to evaporate."

Ms O'Reilly added that the government should do more to help Britain's low-earning workers. "Political leaders talk of hard-working families or pensioners or child poverty…all those groups need help," she said. "But these people, who might be cleaning our offices, serving our children school dinners, or doing odd jobs, need recognition too."