by Lamiat Sabin

FIVE years of David Cameron has pushed living standards down for the first time since the 1960s, official figures showed today.

British households during the Con-Dem government have seen a decline in disposable income for the first time in at least half a century.

Disposable income from 2010 to 2014 has dropped 0.6 per cent when compared to the previous five years, TUC analysis based on research from the Office for National Statistics shows.

The TUC says harsh austerity measures implemented by the Tory-led coalition government are to blame for worse conditions than those immediately after the 2008 financial crash.

Data from Office for National Statistics shows that even between 2008 and 2012, the years of the global crisis and its aftermath, there was a small 1.5 per cent rise compared to the preceding five years.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Living standards have suffered the worst slump in at least half a century, leaving workers paying a heavy price for the government’s bad choices over the last five years.

“Austerity has failed, there’s still a major deficit, jobs are less secure and workers’ living standards have fallen.”

The Tories have pledged a further £30 billion in cuts, including £12bn a year in welfare, over the next two years if they are elected.

Ms O’Grady added: “Conservative plans for extreme austerity after the election risk killing off the recovery again.

“It would be Groundhog Day for living standards, making families worse-off and cutting public services down to a stump.”