LIFE will get harder for people in poverty as spending cuts continue, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said in response to today's Budget.

Julia Unwin, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “There is no doubt that those at the lower end of the income spectrum are suffering as a result of the weak economy and the spending cuts previously announced. Public sector job losses, cuts to public services, inflation and the changes to benefit levels announced last year will hit the poorest hardest.

“While it is good to see the emphasis of today's Budget on growth, there needs to be a concerted effort to ensure the jobs created are decently paid and flexible enough to lift families out of poverty. It might be a rocky road to recovery, but it looks as if life will get harder for those in poverty, before it gets better.”