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PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO AFFORD THREE MEALS A DAY AND EVEN BUY BREAD AND MILK

Release: 2 September 2010

A quarter of people do not believe poverty is an issue in the UK despite the fact that one-fifth (19 per cent) of working class people and those on state benefits could not afford to eat three meals a day at some point in the past year.

According to research by poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care, eight per cent of people from a low socio-economic class could not even afford to buy essential food items like milk and bread.

Bryan Clover, Director of Case-work at Elizabeth Finn Care, said: “It is worrying that only 37 per cent of people believe poverty is the main social issue in the UK when there are people who cannot even afford to buy basic food items.

“We have discovered that a lack of money could have an impact on people’s health with seven per cent of people in a low socio-economic class saying they have not been able to pay for prescription medicine in the past year. One fifth (19 per cent) say they have not been able to pay to have their eyes tested or buy new glasses or contact lenses and 15 per cent have had to forgo having dental work or check-ups because of lack of finances.”

The research also reveals that in the past year 12 per cent of people in a low socio-economic class have not been able to afford to pay their household bills. Some nine per cent of people have not been able to afford to pay their council tax, eight per cent have not been able to afford to buy home contents insurance, five per cent have not been able to buy car insurance and three per cent have not been able to afford to tax their car.

Shockingly five per cent of people in a low social class admit they have had to take time off work or call in sick during the past year because they have not been able to afford the cost of their travel to work.

Mr Clover added: “If people are in genuine financial need they should use our Turn2us service and visit the website to ensure they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to and to see if they are eligible for help from one of the thousands of grant giving charities listed.”

ENDS

For information, photographs and interviews, please contact:

Laura Johnston, Press Officer. Telephone: 020 8834 9260.  

Hythe House, 200 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7NL.

Notes to Editors:

• All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from GfK.  Total sample size was 1001 adults aged 16 +. Fieldwork was undertaken by telephone between 19^th-21^st March 2010. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults.
• Around 13.5 million people in the UK live below the poverty line, including four million children, despite the fact that £16.8 billion of welfare benefits went unclaimed from 2007-2008 (source: DWP and HMRC).
• Elizabeth Finn Care is a charity that helps people in financial need through direct financial support and access to welfare benefits, grants and other financial help from over 3,500 charities using the Turn2us comprehensive website (http://www.turn2us.org.uk/) and freephone helpline.
• Since being founded in 1897, the charity has given away over £130m to people in need In 2009/2010 over 3564 British and Irish citizens were given grants totalling £3,669,920 by Elizabeth Finn Care.
• Turn2us was founded by Elizabeth Finn Care in 2007, and merged into Elizabeth Finn Care in October 2009.