In the UK, it is estimated that 2.2 million people are working at minimum wage, as of April 2025, even after minimum wage was raised in the same month. It is still not enough to support most of those people, with 14.3 million of our population still living in poverty- this makes up 21% of our entire country. This has an astronomical effect on people's quality of life; from having to deal with choosing between heating or food, or not making enough to be above the poverty line, but 'too much' to be qualifying for benefits.

If nothing changes, the amount of deaths caused by poverty per day could increase- 300 people per day died in 2023 due to poverty- 110,000 people in a year. Some of these Mothers, Fathers, and Children. Family units (2 or more people who are related biologically, or by law) are also crammed into tiny apartments, with sometimes only 1 bed, forcing 3 people to sleep in one double bed, or the floor. But that's not all. The minimum wage is so low, that with the cost of living, you can barely survive on it, and some people don't. If you are over the age of 21 in the UK, you make a total of £12.98 per hour, and the maximum you can work per week is 48 hours. However, if you're aged 18-20, you make £11.40 per hour with a maximum of 48 hours per week, and 16-17 year old's can only earn £8.70 per hour, with the maximum hours they can work is 40 every week. But that's not even including the accommodation offset, which is the amount an employer can deduct from your salary per day, if they provide you accommodation, this is not including, your electricity, water, gas, or heating bills.

Now is the time to act. The cost of living is increasing, with the Consumer Price Index rising by 3.4% in the last 12 months, and the Household costs index rising by 2.6% in the same time frame. People working on minimum wage cannot afford to live on the rates they are getting now, and some employers employ illegally, and don't even give their workers that, but they make them work ridiculous hours. The cost of Living is rising rapidly, where as minimum wage is not. Now is the time to act, before minimum wage is not even enough to buy a weeks shopping. If not increased, deaths will rise, suffering will continue and our streets will be clogged with people who don't have homes to return to. Now is the time to act.