The period between 2010 and 2014 was the worst five-year stretch for living standards for at least half a century, according to a new study.

An analysis of official data by the TUC found that the five years to 2014 was the only one in at least 50 years during which real disposable income per head fell compared to the previous five years (2005-2009).

Even for the period 2008 to 2012, closest to the financial crisis, there was a rise of 1.5% on the preceding five-years (2003-07), said the union organisation.

The TUC said its research provided further evidence that the government's austerity programme was more to blame for the loss of living standards than the financial crisis that preceded it.

"The government's deep and rapid cuts killed off the recovery, causing growth to flat-line and wages to remain in decline for years longer than official forecasts," said the report.

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.

"We need a government that understands how important pay growth and secure jobs are for a strong economy. If workers don't have decent wages in their pockets to spend, businesses will struggle to invest and grow.

"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."

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "This is desperate stuff from Ed Miliband's union boss donors, just days away from a general election.

"Forecasts by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility show that families are on average £900 better off in 2015 than in 2010, when Labour left government."