Uk cost of living support
2022 FCA reporting suggests that ‘31.9 million people (60% of all UK adults) across the UK are finding it a heavy burden or somewhat of a burden to keep up with their bills, an increase of around 6 million people since 2020.’
Bills are set to rise again in April 2023
The choice between heating or eating
This statistic comes as no surprise amidst the UK cost of living crisis. Product and energy prices are inflating when most peoples’ wages aren’t, aggravating the cost of living crisis as they rise. Food insecurity is hitting more people as costs rocket; UK food banks have been reporting more requests for food that doesn’t require cooking, because the cost of doing so is unattainable for some service users. October 2022 saw fresh statistics surfacing that suggest one quarter of Britons are now using credit cards to pay for necessities. People are falling into debt and using ‘buy now, pay later’ means to purchase the essentials.
Aside from surrounding yourself with as many supportive people as possible (connection to your community is proven to increase wellbeing, especially in times like these) it’s wise to educate yourself on all of the cost of living support that is currently available to many, and try to implement as much of the advice as possible. You might want to grab yourself a cuppa and something to take written or digital notes on as you navigate the following.
Consider these personal changes
Start with lifestyle tweaks that can save you money, actioning those that make your money go further and being as sparing as is comfortably possible with your energy use.
The next steps to covering your living costs can come from several other places…
Speak to your energy supplier
Contact your energy provider to talk about your situation and any options they have that are available to you. Ask the agent about grants and services the company offers while you have them on the phone. Citizens Advice have done a good job of listing many of the grants larger suppliers are offering here. MoneyHelper has loads of fantastic, free advice around how to reduce your energy bills.
Contact Citizens Advice if you aren’t sure about your options and need more support. In a vulnerable situation? Someone at their Extra Help Unit might be able to take on your case. If you live in Scotland then get your free, practical advice on energy-related matters from Advice Direct Scotland.
See if you qualify for charity support
Charis Grants has information on charity grants that could help you with the cost of living. Turn2Us has a grants search and an adviser locator tool for support with benefits, legal issues, jobs, housing and other practical help too.
StepChange signpost to resources if you need help accessing money or food, urgently.
Know your government support options
You can discover if you qualify for welfare benefits, charitable grants and other cost of living payments with Turn2us - their website is incredibly user friendly! If you’re a working parent or carer you’ll know that childcare costs can feel astronomical. Make sure you’re also getting all of the government help you qualify for, to help cover your childcare costs.
Check if you qualify for energy-specific government schemes and benefits, like Child Winter Heating Assistance if you live in Scotland, or a funding package from the Household Support Fund (apply for this through your local council). There’s a neat summary of what’s available by way of government support, here.
Manage your debt more effectively
StepChange has loads of valuable advice on dealing with debt. Explore their free resources if problem debt is affecting your cost of living. Organising your debts, so that paying them off is more manageable, can look like this:
gather all of your debt information and pop it in one central place (Trello is a fantastic way to do this digitally);
check if there are any debts that you aren’t legally obligated to pay;
list the paying off of your debts in priority order;
look at ways to reduce debt, e.g. with a debt management plan;
cut your living costs, where possible;
make a plan to increase your income, if you can;
create a realistic and manageable monthly budget that involves paying off your prioritised debts.
Explore this free ‘Help With Debt’ webpage for more information and support to action the suggestions above.
Care for your mental health
According to the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), ‘57% of people who experienced a mental health problem in the last 3 years felt anxious when thinking about their finances. And over a quarter (26%) who hadn’t reported any mental health problems also felt anxious when thinking about money matters’.
If your mental health isn’t great at the moment, as a result of the cost of living crisis or otherwise, then please consider reaching out to one of the following organisations:
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
Look to the future
Until the cost of living crisis is resolved (through time, governmental and systemic change) it’s wise to educate yourself on all of the cost of living support that is currently available and see what beneficial changes you can make using that. There’s no set date for the next UK general election yet, but registering to vote in that, and getting to the polls when they open is important if you want to influence further policy change around this. Your voice really could make a difference. Systemic change is an incremental, team effort, that we can all play an effective part in.
Get all the help you can and do your best to focus on the much longed-for carefree times up ahead.
You’ve got this.