Living on a low income causes a range of mental and physical health problems. Nearly half of those in the poorest fifth of the population were worrying about money or debt in 2016.
4.1 More than a quarter of the population in 2016/17 said they were just about getting by, financially, or finding it difficult to do so.
Source: Understanding Society
Source: Understanding Society
4.2 More than two in five of those on the lowest incomes (bottom 20%) were just getting by or finding things difficult in 2016/17.
4.3 The pressures of living on low incomes cause poor mental and physical health. Nearly half (45%) of people in the poorest fifth of the population in Great Britain were worried about money or debt in 2016 (according to the British Social Attitudes Survey data). And the difference between the healthy life expectancies in the least and most deprived fifth of areas in England is more than 15 years for both men and women (JRF Poverty 2018 report).