Britain in hidden poverty “epidemic”, says former PM Gordon Brown

Britain is suffering from a hidden poverty "epidemic", former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said. He believes that the worst affected people are going without food, heating, and everyday basics such as toothpaste.

Brown lays the blame at the hands of the government and accuses them of keeping quiet over the "obscene" levels of poverty in the UK.

He has criticised ministers for what he calls a 'systematic shredding' of a social security system that he says once provided a safety net for the vulnerable.

He went on to call it a "moral outrage" that the government are failing to act for "millions of forgotten and voiceless victims."

"In years to come, I believe people will be asking how it was that government walked by on the other side when thousands of children were suffering abject deprivation, and failed to support them in their hours of need.

“In 2010, we were helping 100 children at Christmas [through charity schemes]. Last Christmas, it was 1,800".

Brown has urged Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to use his March budget to address families who he says are suffering the worst year in living memory. He also called on Hunt to thoroughly review universal credit and extend the government’s £900m cost of living crisis household support fund.