Poor people ‘surviving not living’ as UK social contract collapses, says report

Exclusive: Commission including former ministers voices concern at lack of urgency from two main parties over scale of poverty

The collapse of the UK's social contract is leaving millions of low-income families surviving not living" and forced to endure unacceptable levels of poverty, according to an independent cross-party report.

The Poverty Strategy Commission, which seeks to forge a new national political consensus on reducing poverty, and which includes former ministers from the three main parties, says poverty levels are too high and hardship is becoming more extreme. It warns a more of the same" approach to poverty in the future will fail.