Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2023

After more than a year of high inflation, the cost of living remains at the top of the political agenda, with continuing interest in how low and middle income households are faring in particular. In that context, at this online event IFS researchers presented the key findings from their latest flagship annual report on living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

IFS researchers set out how household incomes have changed since before the pandemic, what the key drivers have been, and how these patterns fit into longer run trends. In addition, they presented new research on how successful the lump sum ‘cost of living payments’ have been in supporting low income households.