A Year Like No Other: Life on a Low Income during COVID-19

Money was already tight for UK families living on a low income before the COVID-19 pandemic, but national lockdowns made life much harder.

Telling the stories of these families, this book exposes the ways that pre-existing inequalities, insecurities and hardships were amplified during the pandemic for families who were already in poverty before COVID-19, as well as those pushed into poverty by the economic fallout it created.

Drawing on the Covid Realities research programme, and developed in partnership with parents and carers, it explores experiences of home-schooling, social security receipt and government, community and charitable support. This book sets out all that is wrong with the status quo, while also offering a powerful agenda for change.

Also see ‘COVID-19 Collaborations: Researching Poverty and Low-Income Family Life during the Pandemic’ (Open Access) to find out more about the challenges of carrying out research during COVID-19.

Ruth Patrick is Professor of Social Policy at the University of York.

Maddy Power is Wellcome Trust Research Fellow in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York.

Kayleigh Garthwaite is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology at the University of Birmingham.

Jim Kaufman Research Associate in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of York.

Geoff Page is Research Associate in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of York.