MORE than half of low-paid workers in Britain have been forced to use foodbanks in the past 12 months as the cost-of-living crisis pushes the poorest to the “financial brink,” new research suggests. 

Four in five people on low wages described the crisis as the worst financial period they have ever faced, according to a poll of 2,000 individuals by the Living Wage Foundation. 

The foundation said almost half of low-paid workers now regularly skip meals and nearly a third are unable to heat their homes, while 56 per cent reported using a foodbank in the last year. 

Research has shown that almost a quarter of all workers have had to take out a payday loan to cover essentials, the report added. 

The group said the findings “bring to life” the impact of soaring prices on those who earn less than the real living wage, which is set by the foundation at £11.05 an hour in London and £9.90 outside the capital.

One low-paid worker, Fredlyne, who works in a care home, said: “It’s hard to provide the level of care people deserve when you’re struggling to pay the bills and provide food for you and your family, with soaring living costs making it even harder. It feels like we’re drowning.”

Living Wage Foundation director Katherine Chapman said: “Everyone is feeling the pressure from soaring inflation, but our polling shows that low-paid workers are being hit harder than most, with well over half using foodbanks in the last 12 months. 

“These shocking findings bring to life what it’s like to be paid less than a real living wage during a cost-of-living-crisis.”

Ms Chapman added that it was more important than ever for employers to “step up” and provide a wage based on the cost of living. 

Anti-poverty charity Turn2Us’s head of information programmes Michael Clarke said: “The cost-of-living crisis has pushed those of us on low incomes to the financial brink, with many being forced to use foodbanks in order to feed their families. 

“It is imperative that wages and benefits, such as universal credit and [personal independence payments], are uprated to match inflation to stop even more of us falling into financial crisis.” 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Every worker should be able to afford a decent standard of living. But millions of low-paid workers live wage packet to wage packet, struggling to get by – and they are now being pushed to the brink by soaring prices.

It’s time to put an end to low-pay Britain. Higher wages are good for the economy – more money in the pockets of working people means more spend in our communities. That's why the TUC is calling for the minimum wage to be raised to £15 an hour as soon as possible."