MADAM - Neil Carmichael claims that the economy is ‘on the road to recovery’ (SNJ November 5).

This rather depends on how you define recovery.

If you are a banker receiving hefty bonuses it may well feel like a recovery.

It is very different for very many ‘hard working people’ who have found their wages reduced while living costs soar.

What sort of a recovery is it when five million people do not earn enough to live on?

KPMG calculates that this is the number who earn less than the Living Wage.

In 2013-14, 913,138 people nationwide were forced to turn to foodbanks – 330,205 of those were children.

About 30 per cent were driven to foodbanks because of benefit delays, 20 per cent because of low income, and 16 per cent because of benefit changes, according to the Trussell Trust.

Numbers of those registered as unemployed are indeed falling, but many have been forced into low paid, insecure jobs, some with zero hours, or made to become ‘self employed’ against their will by threats to withdraw benefits.

Some of these may be included in Carmichael’s figures for ‘new businesses’.

We hear shocking stories of dying people who have had their incapacity benefit removed as they are deemed fit to work.

While youth unemployment may be falling, around 16 per cent of 16-24 year olds have no work.

The rate of youth unemployment has doubled since the coalition came to power.

Carmichael gives the numbers who have had their taxes cut, or been removed from tax paying.

This does not help those who do not earn enough to pay tax.

Tax cuts also benefit those paying the most tax.

Some might see ‘recovery’ in Carmichael’s figures, while others might see dishonesty, or a government trying to justify the rewards they give to the very wealthy who fund them.

There may be signs of a recovery for the fortunate, but the price is being paid by ‘hard working families’ and the most vulnerable in our society.

Some time ago David Cameron said, of the recession, ‘we’re all in it together.’ So why can’t we all share this ‘recovery’?

Mary Brown

Stroud