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Essential workers face food poverty, says charity

MILLIONS of key workers are struggling to afford food, according to a new study published today.

More than a quarter of households with NHS and social care workers are not being paid enough to eat, and over a fifth of education staff face the same plight, the Food Foundation survey has found.

The charity’s executive director Anna Taylor said: “Struggling to afford food is by no means confined to those out of work. 

“Many people doing important jobs are also suffering the stress and indignity of not knowing if their pay cheque will allow them to buy the bare essentials.

“Businesses must pull out all the stops to help their lower-paid staff and the government needs to seriously scrutinise why their policies are failing to protect struggling families.”

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison called on the government and employers to pay “the decent wages that all key workers deserve.”

She said: “No-one should face food insecurity in one of the richest countries on earth. 

“And it is a disgrace that so many of our social care, NHS, and school support staff workers aren’t even earning enough to cover these essentials.”

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