The papers and news broadcasts are full of the Government's plans to help the elderly, the disabled or the unemployed, but those who are living on the breadline aren't being considered because they still pay their taxes. It seems to be assumed that as long as you can pay the things the Government demand you pay, nothing else - like food, clothing and heating - matters.
It's an unfair situation, but the fact remains that if you're childless and working, you're not seen as needing any financial help. The forgotten victims of the current credit crunch are the childless couples and single people who work long hours for meagre wages.
Because the majority work more than 16 hours per week, they aren't entitled to any help with housing, tax or energy costs – yet their monthly income is often less likely to cover living costs than the income of an unemployed family with 3 children. A recent study revealed that a single person needed to earn a minimum salary of £13,400 before tax just to have an acceptable standard of living, without luxuries such as new clothes and nights out. This is half the amount needed per year by a family of four.
With energy, food and fuel costs rising faster than the rate of wage increases, the 'invisible poor' look set to grow alarmingly in number over the next few years. As tax increases, so does the tax payable on incomes yet the wages themselves – and the taxable income bands - aren't rising to match. Consequently, more of our wages are being gobbled up by the government and less disposable income is left at the end of the month.
The advent of foreign low-cost supermarkets have helped low-income workers spread out their wages a little more, provided they aren't gourmands who prefer caviar and lobster to own-brand cornflakes and 8p noodles. A monthly shop in a supermarket such as Lidl or Aldi can cost as little as £50, whereas the same amount of food could be as much as £110 in Tesco or Sainsbury's. The food is usually of an equal quality – you're really only paying for the privilege of having English written labels!
Christmas is perhaps the worst time for these struggling workers, with many taking second jobs to tide them over and buy presents for loved ones. Others end up taking out loans they can ill-afford, just so they can enjoy the holiday season and forget about money worries for a while. But of course, when the loan has to be paid back, the worries get worse as it's yet another chunk of disposable income being taken.
It's an unfair situation, but the fact remains that if you're childless and working, you're not seen as needing any financial help. The forgotten victims of the current credit crunch are the childless couples and single people who work long hours for meagre wages.
Because the majority work more than 16 hours per week, they aren't entitled to any help with housing, tax or energy costs – yet their monthly income is often less likely to cover living costs than the income of an unemployed family with 3 children. A recent study revealed that a single person needed to earn a minimum salary of £13,400 before tax just to have an acceptable standard of living, without luxuries such as new clothes and nights out. This is half the amount needed per year by a family of four.
With energy, food and fuel costs rising faster than the rate of wage increases, the 'invisible poor' look set to grow alarmingly in number over the next few years. As tax increases, so does the tax payable on incomes yet the wages themselves – and the taxable income bands - aren't rising to match. Consequently, more of our wages are being gobbled up by the government and less disposable income is left at the end of the month.
The advent of foreign low-cost supermarkets have helped low-income workers spread out their wages a little more, provided they aren't gourmands who prefer caviar and lobster to own-brand cornflakes and 8p noodles. A monthly shop in a supermarket such as Lidl or Aldi can cost as little as £50, whereas the same amount of food could be as much as £110 in Tesco or Sainsbury's. The food is usually of an equal quality – you're really only paying for the privilege of having English written labels!
Christmas is perhaps the worst time for these struggling workers, with many taking second jobs to tide them over and buy presents for loved ones. Others end up taking out loans they can ill-afford, just so they can enjoy the holiday season and forget about money worries for a while. But of course, when the loan has to be paid back, the worries get worse as it's yet another chunk of disposable income being taken.
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