Nearly fifth of UK in absolute poverty at height of cost of living crisis

Government accused of failing to protect low-income households as 300,000 more children entered poverty in 2022-23. The UK’s poorest families have borne the brunt of the cost of living crisis, according to latest official figures that show 300,000 more children were plunged into poverty amid falling incomes and soaring levels of hunger and food bank use. Campaigners accused the government of failing to protect low-income households, as statistics showed 600,000 more people were in absolute poverty – ministers’ preferred poverty measure – in 2022-23 when inflation was at its 10% peak. Overall, 12 million people were in absolute poverty at the height of the cost of living crisis – equivalent to 18% of the population, including 3.6 million children, levels of hardship last seen in 2011-12 after the financial crash. Read more.