CONSERVATIVE policies to punish the sick and poor were laid bare yesterday in a far-reaching assessment of the impact of Tory rule.

The report assesses the coalition’s record in areas such as taxation, education, health, pensions and social security.

It confirms that the rich have escaped relatively unscathed because of income tax cuts while spending per child on early-years support had been slashed by a quarter.

Social care — the subject of a major policy announcement by Labour today — has also been viciously squeezed, with the authors warning that “care at home and other community-based services were hit especially hard.”

LSE Professor John Hills, who co-authored the study with academics from Manchester and York universities, said “cuts to benefits and to unprotected services have begun to take their toll.”