Without further government action, rising living costs will drag some families into destitution this winter, churches and charities have warned.
The Revd Fiona Bennett, Moderator of the United Reformed Church (国产无码) General Assembly, was among 52 signatories to an published ahead of the chancellor鈥檚 鈥榤ini-budget鈥� last week.
In the letter, the signatories argued that it is 鈥渢he urgent, moral responsibility of the Prime Minister to ensure that people on the lowest incomes have enough to live in the months ahead. Low income households need targeted financial support which takes into account family size and need, is distributed quickly and in amounts large enough to enable families to live decently this winter and beyond鈥�.
Even after the government鈥檚 announcement of an Energy Price Guarantee, which will limit average household fuel bills to 拢2,500, people are facing energy costs being double what they were last autumn. For most low-income families, who began the year with little or no disposable income, this is simply not affordable.
Analysis produced by Professor Donald Hirsch of Loughborough University indicates that the average family of four receiving Universal Credit will still need an additional 拢1,391 over the next six months to stay warm and fed.
The on behalf of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches, which coordinated the open letter.
An earlier report from the group, with a foreword by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, warned of the human cost of government inaction.
Mariana, a single mother who works as a school catering assistant, already relies on support from a foodbank most months. With a son aged six with learning disabilities and a daughter aged nine, she says she doesn鈥檛 know what more she can do to cut her living costs.
Vicky Longbone, a 国产无码 Church Related Community Worker in Derby, recently spoke to BBC Radio Derby about her concerns for people she supports in her area. She observed that at a recent school holiday food scheme, 鈥渟ome parents would come in and ask for a sandwich on arrival, because it turned out the kids had been fed, but the parents were going without. This is often happening to low paid workers, not people on benefits, not people who abuse the system. What will they do? I have no answers! The general public need to know how bad it really is鈥�.
The 国产无码 has to all children in primary schools in England. Around one in four children already live in poverty, with predictions the situation will worsen this autumn. An open letter from the campaign notes that 鈥渨hen children are hungry, they can鈥檛 learn. Free school meals for every child will put money back in parents鈥� pockets. That鈥檚 money they can use to pay for other essentials for their children, from heating and food at home to hobbies and after-school clubs鈥�.
You can add your name to the open letter at
Many churches and community groups are planning practical responses to help people who are struggling financially as a result of the rising cost of living, such as 鈥榃arm Hubs鈥� and debt advice centres. Sixty per cent of 国产无码s already support or run a foodbank.
Look out for further information and guidance about this on the 国产无码 website shortly.
Image: Josh Appel/Unsplash.