Research & Policy / Low Earners

Low earners audit overview

The Foundation published its first low earners audit in March 2009. Drawing on a range of survey data, this report provided a snapshot of the UK’s 14 million low earners and highlighted their squeezed, exposed and overlooked position in the UK’s mixed economy.
This audit is published twice a year. The most recent update was published in March 2010, with a specific focus on the household finances of low earners. The next update is due to be published in August 2010.

What we are doing

We will be updating the audit on a quarterly basis. Each issue will provide updates of all of the tables and charts included in the original audit in order to monitor both changes in low earners’ circumstances and changes in the economic and policy environment in which they operate. However, the focus of our detailed analysis and commentary will vary with each issue.

Each audit is based on a combination of analysis of public datasets and exclusive Foundation research. In addition to presenting statistics relating to low earners, each issue reflects on the findings of qualitative work undertaken to provide a fuller picture of the experiences of low earners.

Recent events/publications

The Low Earners Audit and Behind the Balance Sheet: the financial health of low income households- March 2010
The low earners audit: First update - low earners' experiences of work, August 2009

Squeezed: the low earners update – March 2009

Contact

If you would like to know more about any aspect of the Foundation’s low earners audit work, please contact Matthew Whittaker.