Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Syrian sources: The Israeli occupation has begun withdrawing from the areas it infiltrated last night in the Quneitra countryside.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Massive bombings in eastern Gaza, the second within half an hour, and its sound was heard from central area.
Russian air defense units destroyed a drone that was heading toward Moscow.
Maduro: Tomorrow, a business meeting will be held bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs from advanced Russian industries with hundreds of Venezuelan businesspeople.
Maduro: In the face of threats, Trinidad and Tobago agreed to suspend all effects of the energy agreement and everything that had been agreed upon in that regard.
Maduro: It’s time to make a choice, either stand with the warmongers who want death and violence, or stand with life.
Maduro: They want our wealth. This is not about drug trafficking, and they know it.
Maduro: Everyone in the world knows that what the economic elite ruling the United States seeks today is Venezuela’s oil, gas, and gold.
Maduro: The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is complicit and promoting war due to her personal, physical, mental, and moral weaknesses.
President Nicolás Maduro: A series of arrests have been carried out against what could be a group of mercenaries trained and funded by the CIA.

2 million UK households in poverty, unplugging fridges to save money

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 15 Nov 2023 13:27
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Four out of five households on universal credit in the UK are going without food, turning off heat, not replacing worn-out clothing, and resorting to “desperate measures”.

  • x
  • A basket of groceries a trolly at a supermarket in London, Saturday, June 10, 2023. (AP)
    A basket of groceries a trolly at a supermarket in London, Saturday, June 10, 2023. (AP)

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) charity in the UK, around 2 million households have reached a point where they are turning their fridges off to save money amid a “frightening” level of hardship for the first time since May.

The JRF stated that four out of five households on universal credit were going without food, turning off heat, not replacing worn-out clothing, and resorting to “desperate measures”.

Its latest cost of living crisis tracker survey revealed that back in October, around 2.8 million UK low-income households accumulated debt to pay for food, while a third sold belongings for cash, and one in six used community “warm rooms”.

The JRF noted that although the government allocated over £12 billion for the cost of living support, 7.3 million households have still gone without food and other essentials in the last six months.

It is reported that ministers could freeze working-age benefits from next April, which would help procure billions for the Treasury, but leave about 9 million households with a loss of an estimated average of £460.

Read more: Young Brits seek opportunities elsewhere: Survey

Related News

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Cuban leadership acts promptly after controversial poverty comments

Balancing the equation

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,” adding: “The picture isn’t getting better for low income families even as inflation starts to come down. Too many are taking out loans to pay for food, selling their belongings and using warm banks to try and get by.”

He noted how “unconscionable” it is “that the government is reportedly considering cutting struggling families’ benefits to fund tax cuts. In the upcoming autumn, statement benefits must be increased in line with inflation, and local housing allowance must be unfrozen to support private renters with their housing costs.”

Charities believe that the fall in inflation still does close to nothing to improve living standards for the poor unless benefits are increased to balance food and energy prices and private sector rents.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said, “The cost of living payments have provided a significant financial boost to millions of households – just one part of the record £94bn support package we have provided to help with the rising cost of bills.”

Read next: The UK is now a poor nation, poorer than the US: Report

“This includes a 10.1% rise to benefits earlier this year, and we’re investing £3.5bn to help thousands into jobs – the best way to secure their financial security in the long term... Ultimately, the best way we can help families is to reduce inflation, and we’re sticking to our plan to halve it this year, taking the long-term decisions that will secure the country’s financial future.”

Back in August, it was found that lower-income households and those aged between 45 and 64 years old were found to be more likely to go without heating in winter, which prompted requests for the government to propose a discounted “social energy tariff” for those households.

  • Poverty
  • inflation
  • UK inflation
  • United Kingdom

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Delta Air Lines flight lands at Harry Reid International Airport, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Las Vegas (AP)
Politics

Nearly 3,800 US flights disrupted amid ongoing government shutdown

FILE - The Amazon logo is pictured at the Amazon Robotic Sorting Fulfillment Center in Madison County, Miss., Aug. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Economy

Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs in largest layoff in company history

Eurofighter Typhoon Spain's Air Force fighter jets fly above the military parade marking 'Día de la Hispanidad', or Hispanic Day, in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP)
Politics

UK sells 20 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye in £8bln defense agreement

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

RSF tighten El Fasher siege as Sudan risks fragmentation: Reuters

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS