Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has revealed that two years ago 19 million people in the UK, nearly one in three, were living on less than the Minimum Income Standard (MIS). The problem is that household costs are rising, while incomes have stagnated. The Government has already said it is taking action to raise incomes, after Theresa May identified those ‘just about managing’. The MIS is based on what members of the public think is a reasonable income to live on. A single person renting a flat outside London is said to need to earn at least £17,300 a year to reach the MIS, and for a working couple with two children, living in social housing, each of the individuals need to earn £18,900 a year. The figures include six million children - 45% of all children in Britain. There are also 1.8 million pensioners, 14.6% of the age group. The figures are up from 15 million, or 25% of the population, six years previously. The report warns that many families which are just about managing are in danger of falling into poverty. That is despite record levels of employment.