Some one in four households regularly find they don’t have sufficient funds to cover all the essentials, with almost 40 per cent saying they have no money left at the end of the month.

This is according to new research from the Together Through This Crisis initiative (the members of which include Shelter, Save the Children, 38 Degrees, Little Village and Turn2us), revealing that even the most affluent constituencies are being affected, with 19 per cent of people in such places saying they struggle to pay for food or bills by the end of most months, the Guardian reports (1).

In an open letter to the government, the group called for action to make sure that families are able to put food on the table and heat their homes, including prioritising universal credit or the equivalent benefits, continued energy bill support and the expansion of free school meals to all children.

Overall, six per cent of people said they were unable to pay for essentials most days, increasing to 11 per cent in the UK’s most deprived areas. Some 67 per cent said they thought the government wasn’t doing enough to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Free school meals have been provided for all primary schools in London, a one-off scheme that will run for a year from September, costing £130 million, with mayor Sadiq Khan saying that this would address ministerial failures to ramp up support during the crisis.

A spokesperson from the Treasury commented, saying: “We are providing significant support over this year and next – worth on average £3,500 per household. Tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority, with a plan to halve inflation this year and lay the foundations for the long-term growth that will improve living standards for everyone.”

If you find at any point that you don’t have enough money to live on, you may be able to get help to afford bills, food and other such essentials, such as via the Household Support Fund and cost of living payments. It’s also possible that you may be able to claim some kind of benefits, even if you do have a job.

If you’re of working age and on a low income, are responsible for children, are a carer, are of state pension age and on a low income, or if you’re sick or disabled, you may be able to claim benefits or increase the ones you’re currently on to help you navigate your way through the crisis.

Cost of living payments are also available if you’re on certain benefits, such as attendance allowance, PIP or universal credit. You can get as many of these payments as you’re eligible for and you won’t have to pay tax on them, as they don’t count as income when your benefits are calculated.

If you are struggling with debt at the moment because of cost of living challenges, get in touch with us today to find out more about the debt management plan help we have available.

References:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/feb/21/quarter-of-uk-households-regularly-run-out-of-money-for-essentials-survey-says