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Gap between rich and poor widens
07.05.09
Income inequality in Britain has hit a 48-year high, economic experts claimed today.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies also found that poverty and inequality both increased for a third successive year in 2007-08.
It said the incomes of poorer households have fallen in real terms since 2005 while those of richer households increased.
Take-home incomes grew on average much less than during Labour's early years in office, even before the start of the recession. The IFS said the number of people in poverty had risen by 200,000 to 13.5 million after housing costs in 2007-08.
Reader views (6)
Re Micky, but what IS the national average wage? A survivable wage in Barrow-in-Furness is not a survivable wage in London or Essex. I manage OK, as a professional, single parent, on a salary of 28k pa (no maintenance from ex-never did get any) but that's cos I've finally got a low mortgage. If I had to rent my own humble house I couldn't make ends meet. My utility bills are ENORMOUS-far higher than my mortgage.
My two-income friends are RICH- joint incomes of £60k- but they still moan.
- Workingmum, Essex
Over to you Val from Spain and Keith from Luton!
- Chris, Brighton, England
WHERE IS ROBIN HOOD WHEN YOU NEED HIM?.
- John L., Scarborough North Yorkshire, U.K.
I am not supprised,this was bound to happen when we have a Tory Government in power masquerading as nu-Labour.
- Richard, Streatham
Whats new then? For years the rich have got richer and the poor poorer
- Mike, London England
The only growth the Government has; is in its higher poverty levels.
If they had not propped up the rich; then the equality levels between the rich and the poor would have been more equal today.
But it’s not too late for New Labour to do something right about equality; let them all reduce their incomes to the national average wage; this will be an example to the rich bankers and other over-paid ponces.
- Mickyinlondon, london
