Poverty is a root cause and effect of many social inequalities in the UK, due to the disproportionate impact for those living in poverty on their access to basic resources, services and opportunities. This important book covers a wide range of experiences relating to the everyday realities of living in poverty, providing timely and relevant insights for all areas of social work practice.

Written by those with lived experience of poverty, each chapter dives into a key topic related to poverty in the UK, including parenting, schooling, housing and homelessness, mental health, cancer, disability, trauma and addiction, as well as discussions related to being in prison, a refugee, a carer, or care experienced. Taken together, these insights will help readers to develop and inform their appreciation of the challenges and potential solutions required to advocate for those in poverty.

Offering bitesize formal knowledge on UK legislation and policy, alongside reflective activities which foster criticality and transformative learning, this book will be of great interest to professionals, academics and students in the fields of social work, social care, health, education, police work and media, as well as students and academics of sociology and the social sciences more broadly.

Mel Hughes is Professor of Social Work at Bournemouth University, Academic Lead for the PIER Partnership and Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Seldom Heard Voices.

Debbie James, mother of two adults, is a writer and performer with The Outsiders Project, Community Commissioner with BCP Poverty Truth 1, and active member of Bournemouth University’s PIER partnership.

Carrie-Anne Mizen is a parent and silent activist against poverty, and a trustee of the Poverty Truth Network.