Maybe I've missed something on the fundamental economics of this "problem" but I fail to see how anyone can struggle to eat on £3000-6000 per month. Even on a paltry £1000 a month somebody should be able to afford to rent a room local to where they are rostered, eat and arrive for work not having knocked themselves out by commuting 500 miles to work.
We all make concessions to build a career (move nearer to work etc) and I've always held if you can't do a job properly, don't do it at all.