Living Wage still not enough?

Parents working full time on the National Living Wage are still not earning enough to have a decent standard of living, according to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

The National Living Wage, which ranges from £3.70 to £7.83 per hour depending on your age, is not enough to cover the basics a family needs, such as housing, food and bills.

The low wages are compounded by rising prices, benefit freezes and high housing costs, all of which are pushing low-income families over the hill into poverty.

Even in a family where both parents are working full time, they will still be 11% short of what they actually need.

CPAG has worked out that the overall cost of raising a child is £150,753 for a couple and £183,335 for a lone parent.

Pritie Billimoria, Head of Communications at Turn2us, said:

“If you have a job, you should not have to choose between eating and heating. Work has to pay.

“Life has been getting harder for families on low incomes over the last ten years, now most of the people who come to us for help are in work. Low pay, insecure work and welfare reform are pulling people into poverty.

“Work needs to be a route out of poverty so people are not left dealing with the intolerable stress and anxiety that their wages don’t cover the basic costs of living.”