1 in 4 UK homes are going without essentials.
Some of the UK’s biggest charities and organisations – Little Village, Save the Children, Shelter, Turn2us, and 38 Degrees – have teamed up to create the Together Through This Crisis initiative to bring people together to lend a helping hand through the cost-of-living crisis.
A poll from this initiative questioned people in both the 100 most deprived and the 100 least deprived constituencies in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It found that nationally, 37% of people are ending the month with no money left over, while nearly one-quarter (24%) run out of money for essentials either most months or most days. 67% of respondents described the UK government as “not doing enough” to address the cost-of-living crisis.
Matthew McGregor, CEO at campaign group 38 Degrees, said, “This polling paints a bleak picture of the crisis unfolding across the country: families running out of money to put food on the table and keep kids warm is rapidly becoming our new normal. As the Spring statement looms, a united message is coming through loud and clear from the British public – in the most and least deprived corners of our country – Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt: do your jobs. Stop kids going hungry, end the energy bill ticking timebomb and relieve the sickening worry from families fearing the worst.”
The poll revealed that people, nationally in both the best- and worst-off constituencies in the UK, were most likely to say that charities were doing their bit to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Friends and neighbours were seen as the second-most helpful group, with trade unions coming above Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the UK Government, and opposition political parties.
Sign the open letter to ask the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to do their jobs in the upcoming Spring Budget.
Ahead of the Spring Budget, Together Through This Crisis has launched an open letter backed by charities, businesses, Metro Mayors, and over 38,000 members of the public. The Social Workers Union (SWU) and the British Association of Social Work (BASW) have added our signatures to this letter that calls for the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to stop this crisis from becoming the new normal and asks for the Westminster government to:
- Help us heat our homes – provide effective, ongoing support for Brits struggling to pay our energy bills during this crisis, and boost insulation so our bills keep coming down.
- Make sure kids aren’t going hungry – by expanding free school meals to all children, prioritising families receiving Universal Credit or equivalent benefits.
- Keep a roof over our heads – unfreezing housing benefit so we can stay in our homes as rents soar.
- Give a lifeline when times are tough – when it becomes impossible to pay our bills and feed our families, a system which treats us with dignity and helps us get back on our feet.
Click here to read the open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in full.
Sign this letter, along with SWU and BASW, to show the strength of support across the country for further government action and a refusal to let this crisis become our new normal.
Together Through This Crisis is pulling together resources and campaigns to support anyone needing help or wanting to make a difference during this cost-of-living crisis. If you are worried, in need of support, or want to help in whatever way you can, you can visit their website.