A Minimum Income Standard for the UK in 2016

The annual update of the Minimum Income Standard includes new research on what households consider to comprise an acceptable standard of living, focusing this year on families with children whose minimum budgets have been researched from scratch. Some costs have fallen, with food and fuel prices lower and some additional economising in light of hard times. Other costs, including childcare and after school activities, have risen as parents put renewed emphasis on having choices that allow children to get a good start in life.