Alison Taylor, director, Turn2us, of Shepherds Bush Road, London, writes: An increase to the national minimum wage, which came in to effect this week, is certainly a welcome boost for low-income workers who are struggling to make ends meet. With almost three-fifths of low-income working households telling us that their financial ­situation has worsened in the past year, and two in five reporting that their outgoings now outweigh their earnings, this above-inflation rise is a positive step towards easing the immense pressure on household budgets. However, with over half of the 13 million people in poverty now living in a working household, it is clear that more needs to be done to tackle this issue. With difficult financial times ahead, we want to make sure that anyone struggling on a low income is aware of all the support available to them. Our free website, http://www.turn2us.org.uk">www.turn2us.org.uk, can help people check their ­eligibility for welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help. Our benefits calculator also includes a 'better-off' function to show users how a change in employment hours or wages, or unemployment, could affect their benefit entitlements and overall household income. With the real impact of wage increases and other economic improvements unlikely to be widely felt for some time, we hope more people in need can access financial support that could make all the difference today. See what support you could claim with our free and easy-to-use benefits calculator at benefits.turn2us.org.uk.