A new study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) charity has found that as households in the UK have been struggling to cope with the growing cost of living crisis, many have been resorting to desperate measures, even turning off their refrigerators or freezers to try and reduce their power bills.
In a report on the study by the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, it was revealed that the study discovered that just in October, a quarter of low-income houses in the UK (2.8 million households) had been forced to take on debt in order to pay for food, while a third of low-income households had sold belongings to generate cash, and one out of six had used what are referred to as community “warm rooms.”
Of the households on the universal credit benefit, which helps people with low-income, or who are out of work or cannot work meet monthly living expenses, four out of five were going without food, turning off their heating, and choosing not to replace worn-out clothing. Since May, almost one million households said they had disconnected their refrigerators or freezers for the first time.
The JRF also found that over seven million households had forgone food and other essential items within the last six months, in spite of the government offering benefits and support targeted at helping people cope with the cost of living crisis.
Peter Matejic, chief analyst at the JRF, said, “Millions of families unplugging their fridges and freezers is the latest chapter in a long-running story of hardship. People risk becoming sick from eating spoiled food and going without healthy, fresh food. This risks lasting harm to the health of millions.”
The report made note of the fact that it is expected that in its autumn spending statement next week, the government will announce it is decreasing the assistance it is providing to low-income families, and it points out advocates are expressing growing concern the levels of assistance will not be high enough for families in need.
Matejic said, “It’s unconscionable that the government is reportedly considering cutting struggling families’ benefits to fund tax cuts.”
