Families ‘struggling to make ends meet’

Many people in the UK are now "surviving, not living", according to a poll by the Unite union.

The poll of 140,000 working people shows people’s main worry is making ends meet. Families with young children and a mortgage are being hit hardest by job and service cuts, says the union.

The five concerns for workers, says Unite, are: 1. Money worries, with many reporting a real struggle to make ends meet
2. Job fears, with private sector workers beginning to lose their jobs and an increase in outsourcing; families with young children and single parents are prominent within this group.
3. Council service cuts generally: middle-aged couples on low incomes are especially hit by council cuts, it claims.
4. NHS services, largely around problems getting treatment as a result of cuts: younger couples, single people and more affluent parents are prominent within this group
5. Education worries, with class sizes, nursery places and teaching staff reductions all said to be concerns.

The union also says that regional trends are emerging with:
– Health cuts hitting hardest in London and Yorkshire
– Council cuts are hitting hardest in Yorkshire and the North West
– Jobs fears are strongest in Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London where outsourcing of jobs and services is on the rise.

The poll comes ahead of a big demonstration against the cuts this weekend.