‘The scales never seem to balance’: exploring the lived realities of poverty during the UK ‘cost-of-living crisis’ through participatory research

Jordan, Uisce; Patrick, Ruth; Power, Maddy; Pybus, Katie; Kaufman, James

Abstract

Since late 2021, the term ‘cost-of-living crisis’, indicating decreased disposable incomes, has gained prominence in the UK. This study draws on the long-running online participatory research project Changing Realities, involving over 100 low-income parents and caregivers across the UK, to provide deeper insights into cost-of-living challenges. Focusing on transcriptions of spoken testimonies and written diary entries between February and June 2023, findings highlight the normalised struggle to meet living costs irrespective of a crisis, emphasising effects on low-income families and the inability to make further sacrifices. The study sheds light on the broader ramifications on family life, prompting an exploration of its enduring nature and temporal support. The article concludes by setting out co-produced policy recommendations, which urge the government to rethink social security as an investment in the future, rather than as a temporary safety net that leaves families exposed to a permanent state of crisis.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 24, 2025
• Online Publication Date: May 16, 2025
• Deposit Date: May 22, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: May 22, 2025
• Journal: Journal of Poverty and Social Justice
• Print ISSN: 1759-8273
• Electronic ISSN: 1759-8281
• Publisher: Policy Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-22
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1332/17598273y2025d000000041
• Keywords: cost-of-living crisis; participatory research; policy; poverty; social security