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william doust on 18 Nov 09"'Work at Any Price' Not Working 09/11/2009 Work does not provide a guaranteed route out of poverty, according to research published this week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. A study of the experiences and perceptions of work among residents living in six deprived areas in the UK highlights the fact that many are trapped in a cycle of 'poor work/no work' that fails to lift them out of poverty. A team from Sheffield Hallam University found that poverty-level pay can force those in employment to work excessive hours, harming the quality of their family life. For those out of work, this can act as a disincentive to leave benefits, it says. Many of those interviewed saw the value in working, in terms of increased self-esteem and reducing isolation, but gained little financially. Other issues that the research highlights include the tensions between work and parenting, with many low paid workers unable to pay for childcare and their jobs lacking the flexibility to fulfill parenting responsibilities. The research is part of a wider three year study called 'Living Through Change in Challenging Neighbourhoods'. The wider project examines the extent to which the place where you live makes a difference to your experience of poverty, and is following the lives of 180 people over three years from 2008 to 2010."
