Table 1.

Studies included in the systematic review

Name of study	Aims	Methods	Sample	Main topics
Bostock (1998)	To provide a comprehensive picture of caring for children in poverty	Semi‐structured interviews, 24 h diaries	30 lone and partnered mothers with pre‐school children, on low income. Majority in receipt Income Support (IS).	Nature of caring (routine); household finances; social relationships in disadvantaged circumstances; mothers’ health.
Cohen et al. (1991; 1992)	To consider the effects of social security benefits for people living on IS	Interviews	45 IS claimants (single parents and couples with children) (38 reinterviews)	Quality of life; dealings with social services; community organizations; budgeting on benefit; well‐being; effect of lack of money on family relationships.
Dearlove (1999)	To explore women's perceptions and experiences as lone mothers in receipt of IS, and what ‘support’ means to them as carers of pre‐school children.	Focus groups; in‐depth interviews	Focus groups – 33 women; 37 interviews. Lone mothers – living alone with pre‐school child.	Differences in level of resources available to lone mothers – material, childcare, social.
Dobson et al. (1994)	To focus on the food related ideas, preferences, priorities and choices of those experiencing poverty.	Semi‐structured interviews, focus groups, food consumption diaries.	48 households: lone parents and couples, new and long‐term claimants IS	Purchasing patterns; food consumption patterns; coping and managing; food information; factors which influence food priorities
Ghate and Hazel (2002)	To explore parents’ perceptions of life in a poor environment	Survey and in‐depth interviews	40 parents (9 ‘index situation’ groups)	Social support – informal, semiformal, formal; stress factors – individual, family, community and neighbourhood; coping/not coping – safety, accommodation, financial (budgeting), behavioural.
Graham (1985, 1987)	To understand how lone mothers experience and seek to contain their poverty. To explore informal health care in households with pre‐school children.	Interviews, diaries, self‐administered questionnaires	102 families (38 one‐parent; 64 two‐ parent) with pre‐school child. Low and average income.	Organization of money; feeding the family; family networks (support); friendship networks; coping with caring (smoking); caring for family health.
Kempson et al. (1994)	To explore families’ managing strategies on low income.	Interviews	74 families with children living on low incomes (receiving IS or Family credit, or on margins of eligibility for Family Credit).	Maximizing income; budget management; consumer credit; making ends meet.
Malseed (1990)	To understand, in partnership with families on low incomes, the mechanisms underlying social inequalities in food consumption.	Interviews	15 families with children living on SB (later IS) (16 affluent families –‘control’)	Social inequalities in food consumption; domestic budget management and household food intake; food availability and accessibility; myths about low income group spending; cultural perspectives.
McKendrick et al. (2003)	To explore the views and experiences of people living in poverty, perceptions of the causes and effects of poverty, responses and approaches to managing poverty	Focus groups	18 groups – 99 participants: experience of work; demographic characteristics; experience of poverty (duration and intensity); minority status; geographical location; family background.	Nature of low‐income living with respect to shortage, management and stress; meeting children's needs; changes in circumstances and status; attempts to maintain quality of life. Hidden costs and support; debt.
Owens (1997)	To survey women on low incomes to find out what are the key factors working against their efforts to give children a healthy balanced diet.	Interviews	45 women on low income	Price of poverty; social and cultural pressures; making ends meet; barriers to healthy eating; expenses of poverty; buying food on benefits; the transport trap; debt.
Ritchie (1990)	To research the living standards of unemployed people and their families.	In‐depth interviews	30 unemployed male householders with families; 26 partners (22 males reinterviewed and 14 partners)	Employment histories; concept of ‘living standards’; changes in living standards; patterns of management; adaptations in expenditure; the use of other resources; psychological and social consequences.