‘Gap between British haves and have-nots growing’

A new report has found that the gap between rich and poor families is growing in the United Kingdom amid reports that the British society is reentering the Victorian era crisis with thousands of people calling for help from food and clothes banks.

According to the study carried out by Britain’s biggest insurance firm Aviva, British families are now separated by a bigger income gap than in January 2011.

While the difference between average monthly incomes of the highest and lowest earning types of British families was £1,281 three years ago, the gap has grown by 14% to £1,459 in December 2013.

The research also showed that couples with plans to have children receive the highest average incomes and take home £2,422 typically. Single parents with one child or more have the lowest typical income at £963.

Moreover, couples with no plans for children are paid £2,284 a month on average, couples with one child take home around £2,321, those with two or more children bring in £2,301 typically, and families where the parent is divorced, separated or widowed with one child or more have £1,189 on average.

Researchers also found that some 30 per cent of British families have saved less than £500 compared with just 14% in January, 2013.

The percentage of families with less than £2,000 to depend on has also soared from 28% to 40% between January and December.

Britain’s leading charity, Action for Children, has warned that the country is once again at risk of witnessing the poorest resorting to street begging and food scrounging.