WORKERS at primary schools and GP surgeries have considered quitting their jobs because of a “shameful” level of hardship among service users, a study revealed today.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) study found that Britain’s primary schools and primary healthcare facilities were “staggering under the weight of hardship,” with resources being redirected to provide extra support to the nearly four million people struggling to pay for essentials like food, heating and appropriate clothing.

Sixty per cent of respondents told researchers that hardship had made it more difficult to do their jobs well, and about 40 per cent said hardship was a factor in them thinking about leaving their jobs.