A Colchester food bank organiser has warned that low pay is "leaving too many people behind" as devastating new research reveals three in five workers are skipping meals or relying on pay-day loans to survive.
Katie Hood, lead community organiser at Colchester food bank, said the findings reflect "the harsh reality of life for low-paid workers that we see every day at Colchester food bank."
"The detrimental impact of low pay affects all areas of our community's welfare," Ms Hood added.
"The findings make it clear that the sobering reality of rising living costs, limited access to real living wage jobs and widening economic inequality are leaving too many people behind."
The Living Wage Foundation survey of 2,000 workers paid below the voluntary real living wage of £12.60 an hour (£13.85 in London) revealed the stark choices facing low-income families.
Three in five respondents said they were forced to skip meals regularly, were unable to heat their homes, fell behind on bills or took out a pay-day loan to cover their essentials in the past year because of their level of pay.
Two in five said they have been forced to use food banks, rising to more than half of low-paid workers with dependent children.
One low-paid worker who took part in focus groups said: "I'm really struggling to balance the bills, rent, food for the children and also for myself. Some sort of sacrifice is always happening."
One in four surveyed had no savings while one in five revealed they have less than £10 left over each week after paying for essentials including food, housing costs and energy.
Katherine Chapman, executive director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: "Today's research shows the harsh reality for workers paid below the real living wage, forced to make impossible choices between heating homes, feeding their families or falling behind on bills.
"It's been encouraging to see yet more employers joining the living wage movement of over 16,000 employers, despite tough economic times."
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