With less than a month until the general election, we’ve been hearing a lot about the state of the UK economy. But from the way politicians talk, you could forget that our economy is made up of people. We make up the economy – whether we’re getting the train to work, taking our kids to a play group, or going out for a meal with friends. This election is taking place against a backdrop of decades of underinvestment. More than four in 10 households cannot afford life’s essentials. Whoever forms the next government, they cannot be afraid to invest – otherwise our economy will never improve.

Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive, NEF