The mental health impact on people suffering in-work poverty

Money and mental health are linked. People who live in poverty are more likely to have mental health problems, while people with a mental health problem are more likely to be living in poverty.

And while work is traditionally seen as a way out of poverty, that isn’t the case for everyone. Research suggests over 1 in 10 of all workers (11%) reported living in a household in poverty in
2020/21 – and that number has been rising.

This report from Mental Health at Work brings together studies and research from across the UK to create an understanding of the situation many workers are facing. It covers the impact in-work poverty has on workers and their families, some of the reasons why it happens, and suggests interventions that employers and the government could take to help improve the situation.