Lowest paid in UK have suffered the most financially in the pandemic, report finds

Joseph Rowntree Foundation says lockdowns have hit incomes of those in insecure work the hardest

People who were trapped in poverty before the pandemic have suffered the most financial damage during the crisis, according to a report warning the government that more support is needed to help hard-pressed families.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said those who had been struggling to make ends meet before March last year were more likely to work in precarious jobs or sectors of the economy that had been hardest hit by lockdowns.

Related: Lives are falling apart. Enough talk about inequality, it's now time to act | Kenan Malik