TUC to tackle poverty of working people

Part of its "living wage week," the conference aims to "highlight and understand the scale of in-work poverty in the north-east."

Northern TUC said: "Pay freezes in the public and private sector are destroying the quality of life of working people, while the top earners pull further away and companies take an ever bigger share in profits.

"The conference will show how austerity measures have depressed wages and increased the squeeze on living standards and increased hardship of people in low wage work.

"The majority of children in poverty are in households where people work and £6bn each year is spent in benefits and tax credits to top up the wages of low-paying employers.

"Over nine in 10 of new housing benefit claims are made by people in work.

"If the national minimum wage had increased in line with top earners, it would be worth over £19 per hour tomorrow."

The event culminates with the Kenny Bell Memorial Lecture, which will be given this year by War on Want executive director John Hilary.

The event takes place on Friday November 9 at the St Mary's centre, Middlesbrough.

• Registration ends on November 2. Email mlowden@tuc.org.uk or ring (0191) 2323-175.