Millions of households are heading for a long period of stagnant living standards unless bold steps are taken to ensure that growth over the next decade is broadly shared. Even with a return to steady growth, it’s now entirely possible living standards for a large swath of low and middle households will be no higher by 2020 than they were in 2000. Yet actions can be taken to alter this course.

The findings are contained in the final report of the Commission on Living Standards, a broad group of leading employers, trade unionists, economists and heads of parents’ groups brought together by the Resolution Foundation. The report sets out for the first time the full explanation for the challenge now facing low to middle income households, the risk that the benefits of a period of growth could bypass millions of working households, and key recommendations on how to avoid this.

News

Can a tide rise - with all boats?

Stephanie Flanders, BBC News

Urgent action urged for middle earners

Sarah Neville, Financial Times

Benefits of economic growth ‘could leave millions far behind’

Kathryn Hopkins, The Times

Britain stands at equality crossroads, according to landmark report

Patrick Wintour, The Guardian

Can the gap between living costs and wages be fixed?

Allegra Stratton, BBC News

Average income stagnant for twelve years – and it won't improve for at least eight more

Nigel Morris, The Independent

Middle-class households may be £800 a year worse off by the end of decade

Tim Ross, The Telegraph

Economic recovery may bypass low and middle earners

BBC News

Middle-class families face 'two decades of stagnant living standards'... and will be £800 a year worse off by 2020

Hugo Duncan, Daily Mail

‘Cut cash for wealthy OAPs’

Kevin Schofield, The Sun

Broke for years: Millions of families will see no rise in living standards in a decade unless Government acts

Jason Beattie, Daily Mirror

Report in living standards warning

Daily Express

Middle Britain hit by stagnant living standard

Julian Harris, CITY A.M.

Radical tax and benefit changes ‘needed to protect living standards’

Vivienne Russell, Public Finance

Report in living standards warning

The Belfast Telegraph

Recovery may bypass millions of families, warns report

London Evening Standard

Charging parents £1 an hour for childcare would help boost employment, report says

Katy Morton , Nursery World

Graphics

Living standards squeeze: Britain's 10 years of economic gloom - interactive

Tom Clark and Duncan Clark, The Guardian

Charts that tell the tale of stagnation Britain

Finbarr Sheehy and Tom Clark, The Guardian

Benefits of economic growth ‘could leave millions far behind’

Kathryn Hopkins, The Times (Graphic)

The Commission on Living Standards report in 9 graphs

Alex Hern, New Statesman

Broadcast

Has the promise of rising living standards ended?

BBC Newsnight

Childcare costs stop parents working

Vidhya Alakeson, Daybreak (3m 53s & 43m 52s)

People on low to middle incomes could see little improvement in standard of living

Stephanie Flanders, BBC Radio 4’s The Today Programme (2h 07m 48s)

Low wages and costs of childcare could leave families worse off

Vidhya Alakeson, BBC Radio 5 Live (52m 40s)

We’re out of recession but how does it feel for you?

James Plunkett, BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours (11m 46s)

Politics Weekly podcast: the typical family on low incomes will be worse off than in 2008 if current trends continue

Gavin Kelly, The Guardian

UK recovery must not be just for the few

Gavin Kelly, Financial Times

Can a tide rise - with all boats?

Stephanie Flanders, BBC News

We are all in the chorus of Dystopia Limited

Philip Collins, The Times

As our bank balances get smaller, our thinking needs to get bigger

Tom Clark, The Guardian

A blueprint for supporting the strivers – or barely scratching the surface?

Larry Elliott, The Guardian

Inequality and the crisis: still pre-Occupied

Editorial, The Guardian

How to improve life for the 'squeezed middle'

Editorial, The Independent

Where now for the immigration debate?

Sarah Mulley, New Statesman

How do we halt the slide towards becoming a nation of haves and have-nots?

Anne Johnstone, The Herald

Write for us on … childcare

The people's panel, The Guardian