Throughout the pandemic, the social disadvantage held by those on a low income was only exaggerated. Since emerging from Covid, the UK has seen the cost of energy and fuel rocket by phenomenally vast proportions, the price of food increase significantly, and inflation set to rise by around 8%. While low-income families have nothing left to cut, energy companies are reporting record profits, and multi-billion contracts have been handed out by the government with numerous reports of these funds being recklessly mis-spent. Why are we living in an even greater state of economic disparity than pre-pandemic, and what can we do as a society to help bridge this gap?

Chaired by Dr Katie Pybus, Lecturer in Mental Health at the University of York and co-author of the research paper Covid Realities: Documenting life on a low income during the pandemic, speakers include Tommy Sheppard MP and a representative from foodbank charity the Trussell Trust.