LONDON More than 5 million people in Britain were living in conditions of absolute poverty in 1999, according to a European study.

The greatest concern of poverty was among lone parent. A quarter of single pensioners were also found to have incomes below what was needed each week to afford basic necessities.

The Bread Line Europe Study, carried out by academic from Bristol University and the London School of Economics, used a definition of poverty as lack of food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information.

The British government began an anti-poverty drive in 1999, aiming to improve the situation with the introduction of a minimum wage and tax credits. It is targeted to bring 1.2m children and 8,000 adult out of poverty by April 2002 and to abolish child poverty by 2020.

(IRNA)