The visceral reality of ‘deep poverty’ across the UK

Given that the picture presented by charities and advocates is grim why isn’t there more political clamour? Part of the problem is that academics, the government and campaign groups can’t agree on a single definition, writes Hannah Fearn

‘According to a recent study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) into extreme impoverishment, there are now 1.8m children growing up in what the charity terms “very deep poverty”’ (iStock/Getty Images)

With the full economic cost of lockdown still unfurling, wages stagnating in real terms and the growing cost of living crisis yet to reach its peak, the proportion of the British population living in poverty is growing. As poverty itself grows, so is another category: “deep poverty”.

According to a recent study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) into extreme impoverishment, there are now 1.8m children growing up in what the charity terms “very deep poverty” – a rise of 500,000 in a decade. As the latest figures were calculated for the year 2019-2020, before the full effects of the pandemic on household incomes could be measured, it is believed that the deepest levels of want are rising. Such children are often going without food, sleeping in cold and damp accommodation, and may not have stable housing at all.

With energy price rises set to peak this spring, the most economically vulnerable households such as lone parents will be left spending between a quarter and half of their income on energy alone. Destitution, the point at which a household is unable to cover the cost of the absolute basics - food, warmth and stable shelter - is now becoming a feature of modern Britain. Already the energy crisis has provided examples of this destitution in practice: according to a new study by energy market agent Uswith, a fifth of customers on prepayment meters (who are often the most financially vulnerable) have already skipped hot meals to be able to top up their energy meter, while one in six have avoided using any energy at all for at least two days. This, again, is recorded before the new energy price cap comes into effect.