HALF a million more people in Britain are “trapped in poverty” than five years ago, with a staggering 14 million living on the brink, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) reports today.

In its annual state of the nation report, the charity says that more children are now living in poverty as an increasing number of working parents cannot make ends meet.

Of the 14 million, four million are children and 1.9 million are pensioners.