Understanding attitudes to poverty in the UK: getting the public's attention

This report explores communications ideas which could increase public sympathy towards poverty and inequality. Opinion research indicates that UK poverty needs to be shown in new ways to reflect changed realities and avoid ‘compassion fatigue’.

Based on qualitative research with twelve discussion groups from a cross-section of the general public, the report:

• examines factors that discourage people from supporting the anti-poverty agenda in the UK
• uses simple models to illustrate why some attempts to communicate more effectively have had limited success.
• explores the value of some creative themes developed by the project team, to influence the debate and provide ideas for future communications.