It is much better to look at real incomes and living standards. These show that those Britons who earn the least have a bit more cash, and many more creature comforts, than they did in 1979. Consider Labour's case first. Inequality has increased in Britain since 1979, and faster than in any OECD country except America. So it is not surprising that the number of people earning less than half the average income has increased, to almost one-quarter of the population.
Labour is also correct that the toughest kind of poverty, namely homelessness, has increased.
Shelters and hostels for the homeless are now a fact of life in every town of any size. In 1979, they were far less common because they were not needed. It is also true that those living on state benefits have a meagre time of it. A report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation about the problems of low-income families found that many of them go without heat in cold weather, or shop daily so that family members do not eat the week's food too quickly. The Tories interpret economic history differently.