Two Nations: The state of poverty in the UK

The UK is in danger of sliding back into the “Two Nations” of the Victorian era marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a depressed and poverty-stricken underclass. This landmark report revisits key areas identified two decades ago as drivers of poverty, namely family breakdown, addiction, worklessness, serious personal debt, and educational failure. The analysis, conducted against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, sheds light on the exacerbated challenges faced by the most deprived communities. This report reveals a widening gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom, a gap that was further stretched by the impact of successive lockdowns. The lockdown measures, meant to curb the spread of the virus, had severe consequences on various aspects of life for the most disadvantaged. Mental health conditions, saw a significant increase during lockdown. Reflecting on the past two decades, the report acknowledges some progress, such as a decline in unemployment and improved literacy rates among young people. However, these positive trends are overshadowed by the overarching sense that life has become more challenging, poverty more entrenched, and the benefits of progress not felt by those at the bottom of society.