Relative poor

SIR – There has been much discussion about the number of people in relative poverty.

There will always be people in this category, no matter how much money they have, because the Government defines relative poverty as people who exist on 60 per cent of the median wage. Getting people out of a percentage band can, by definition, never be achieved, even if the median wage improves dramatically.

Far better to quote an amount of money per week that can lift people to a reasonable income. That can be achieved. Dr Brian Wareing

Chester