Closer to crisis? How low earners are coping in the recession

Our findings show that:

• Low earners are more at risk of being hit by the recession than other groups as rises in unemployment have been steeper in industries, occupations and areas where low earners are concentrated.
• There are groups of low earners who are particularly exposed to the recession. These are: The 7 million low earners with low skills levels, the 11.1million who were in poor financial health before the recession and the 1.2 low earners who bought a home within the last decade.
• Further action to help low earners is necessary and feasible. We provide detailed recommendations that could have a material impact on low earners. These focus on sustaining the position of low earners, smoothing transitions, building on low earners’ capabilities and shaping markets.