About 14 million people - one fifth of the population - live in poverty in the UK.
To put that into perspective a little: the UK is the world’s fifth largest economy. As a country, we make a lot money, yet a huge percentage of the population live with difficulty. Of that group, 1.5 million people live in 'abject' poverty, which means they are unable to afford basic essentials, like food or a place to sleep.
Last month, Philip Alston, the UN’s rapporteur on extreme poverty, ended a two-week fact-finding mission into how austerity has impacted the UK.
He found that, after ten years of cuts, Britain was in breach of four UN human rights agreements relating to women, children, disabled people and economic and social rights.
'If you got a group of misogynists in a room and said how can we make this system work for men and not for women they would not have come up with too many ideas that are not already in place,' he explained.
It's a gut-wrenchingly shocking statement. Add in the fact that 18 to 24-year-olds are the most pessimistic age group in the UK, and we've clearly got a problem. In a recent poll, nearly half said where a person ended up in society was largely determined by who their parents were. They simply don't think social mobility exists.
There is evidently a deep unease about the gap between the wealthy and poor in our country. It begs the question: are our government, employers and schools doing enough to help the less advantaged get a fair chance?
Still, good work is being done. Like the Young Women's Trust (YWT), a charity which supports women aged 16-30 struggling to live on low or no pay in England and Wales.
This year alone they have campaigned on issues from workplace sexual harassment to the gender pay gap. At risk of being trapped in poverty? They'll help you find a job, and provide guidance and coaching throughout the job application.
And next year, ELLE UK will be taking a deeper look at social mobility and how it impacts all aspects of society, from careers to confidence. Which is why we're pleased to announce we'll be teaming up with the Young Women's Trust to celebrate the young women shaking up the world of work.
'We see the power and possibility generated when women lift other women up,' said Anne-Marie Curtis, ELLE UK's editor-in-chief. 'Now more than ever, it’s important to recognise and celebrate unsung women all over the country who, despite difficult and persistent barriers, are able to keep on pushing for change and success in their careers,'
Next year, the YWT will host their second Young Women’s Trust Awards which is designed to celebrate the achievements of the remarkable young women who have overcome barriers to find or stay in work.
Four awards are up for grabs: The Apprentice, for the young woman who has achieved a lot, The Trailblazer, who has excelled in a male-dominated industry (such as science, engineering or mathematics). There's also the The Everyday SHEro, for the young woman who is an inspiration every day, and The Influencer, for person whose spoken out for other young women based on her own lived experiences.
Does any of those sound like someone you know? You can absolutely vote for them. Nominations are now open for both the Apprentice and Trailblazer awards until 1 January.
As Carole Easton, the chief executive of YWT, explains: 'We have seen this year the huge challenges young women face in finding and keeping work, from the gender pay gap to sexual harassment.
'But this work is not making a difference to the barriers young, disadvantaged women face getting a job in the first place.'
'These awards are our way of recognising the amazing young women we meet through our work and all the young women we are still to meet in the UK who overcome challenges every day.'
We'll be doing more coverage of these amazing women in the coming months. Stay tuned.
For more information about YWT or to nominate someone you know head here.
