Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report: UK Poverty 2026

A new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), UK Poverty 2026, paints a worrying picture of poverty in the United Kingdom. While overall poverty rates have remained high at around 21% of the population, deeper forms of hardship are increasing: approximately 6.8 million people are now living in very deep poverty, the highest level on record. This means their incomes fall far below the official poverty line and leave them unable to afford essentials like food and heating. Child poverty has also risen for the third consecutive year, affecting millions of children across the country.

The report finds that poverty remains entrenched among certain groups – including people from some ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, large families, renters, and those in insecure work, and highlights how long-term trends such as benefit inadequacy, high housing costs, and fragmented policy have failed to reduce hardship.

JRF emphasises that although recent policy changes like the removal of the two-child benefit limit and a new Child Poverty Strategy are steps forward, a more comprehensive and sustained strategy is needed to lift people out of poverty and prevent deepening hardship.

You can read the full report here.