Do you earn less than £401 a week?

A couple with two children – aged between five and 14 – are in poverty if they earn less than £401 a week, says the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

This is a measurement of relative poverty – 60% of the national median income.

For a single parent with two children – aged between 5 and 14 – poverty is earning less than £297 a week.

For a couple with no children, poverty is earning less than £248 a week.

For a single person with no children, poverty is earning less than £144 a week.

These figures are notably short of the Minimum Income Standard – what you need to live a socially acceptable standard of living.

A couple with two children need at least £474.57 a week (excluding rent and childcare) to have an acceptable standard of living.

A single parent with one child needs at least £308.85 a week (excluding rent and childcare).

A pensioner couple needs at least £274.99 a week (excluding rent).

A single adult needs at least £207.13 a week (excluding rent).

Pritie Billimoria, Head of Communications at Turn2us, said: “It is clear that with rising living costs, people can’t make ends meet.

“Tragically with stagnant wages, the benefit freeze and high rents, more people are struggling than ever.

If you are feeling the pinch, use our Benefits Calculator and Grant Search to find out what help might be available to you.