The poverty line is set too low, but also, things like living wage thresholds are often (but not always) calculated on the assumption that there are two working people in a family. Which is often not the case.
Also, employment is becoming increasingly more precarious, with people either not getting enough hours, or not getting enough money per hour, or short fixed-term contracts, or short term gigs, which make it difficult for people to prepare themselves financially for economic shocks and other unexpected financial stressors. Meaning for a lot of people, it only takes one unexpected shitty thing to happen, to take them from making it day-to-day, to not being able to afford the next grocery shop.<p>The problem is, once people get into poverty, it is a vicious cycle and very very difficult to get out. It literally changes the way you think. I was born into poverty. It took me most of my life to get to a point where I wouldn't consider myself poor. You just don't even get as many opportunities to get rich, when you're born poor.<p>Poverty sucks, and is bad for everyone, including people who are not in poverty.