Millions of working households in the UK are struggling to meet basic living costs despite being in employment and earning above official support thresholds.

Rising housing costs, energy bills, food prices, childcare, and transport have far outpaced wage growth, while income and benefit thresholds have remained frozen or outdated. As a result, many families earn too much to qualify for support but not enough to live without debt, anxiety, or financial instability.

This hidden form of poverty is rarely acknowledged in official statistics, yet it affects millions of ordinary people, including single parents, carers, and individuals managing households alone, who are doing everything expected of them without a second income or shared safety net.

We are calling on the Government to formally recognise hidden poverty and commit to a review of income and benefit thresholds so they reflect real living costs in today’s economy.

Working families, especially those doing it alone, should not be penalised for earning nor forced into silent hardship by outdated systems.

What we’re asking for

A formal review and reform of income and benefit eligibility thresholds to align with the real cost of living in the UK.