<p><span><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span>It has been an issue in the United Kingdom for a long with a decade of public service layoffs driving many families farther into poverty. Many people's lives were rendered even more difficult by the Covid-19 issue, as many were laid off, lost revenue due to the furlough program, and suffered higher living expenses while in isolation.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span>Before the COVID-19 pandemic, median household net income had been gradually increasing for two years, increasing by 3% from 2017–18 to 2019–20. But, in 12 years before 2007–08, before the latest recession, this still amounted to only a 9% increase overall. If the pre-financial-crisis rate of 2.2% annual growth had persisted after 2007–08, median income would already have risen over 20% by 2019–20.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span>However, several indicators of poverty increased as the outbreak began. The percentage of persons admitting to being behind on at least one of several household expenses increased by 22% from 2018–19 to April–May 2020.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span>Many people struggled to buy their food and were compelled to rely on food banks. Food banks were used by 1.9 % of the total population in April–May 2020, up from 1.7% in February.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
