Public workers cut back on food shop

Public-sector workers have seen their incomes fall “drastically” because of the government’s cap on pay rises, forcing many to cut back on food shopping, a study shows.

A survey of 6,500 workers by Unison also found that just over half had borrowed money from family or friends and one in ten had missed meals to feed their children.

The results were released ahead of the first day of Unison’s annual conference in Brighton today, where unions will call on the government to lift the public sector pay cap.