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
The Popular Resistance Committees: We call on all international institutions to take urgent action and uphold their responsibilities by restoring and immediately enforcing effective mechanisms for the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The Popular Resistance Committees: The latest Zio-American crime against Gaza’s starving civilians constitutes a war crime, for which the US administration bears full and direct responsibility.
Gaza Media Office: Bloody spectacle shows that these zones have become collective death traps rather than aid distribution zones.
Gaza Media Office: Dozens of citizens are still surrounded under constant fire in the vicinity of the "aid station."
Gaza Media Office: As soon as citizens arrived, occupation and Americans opened direct fire on them.
Gaza Media Office: Occupation, in complicity with the US company, called on citizens to move toward Wadi Gaza Bridge, claiming that aid would be distributed.
Gaza Government Media Office: Occupation set a bloody trap at bridge of Wadi Gaza, luring thousands of starved civilians, and opened fire on them.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone drops sonic grenade in town of Ramiyah.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets vehicle in town of Beit Lif.
The Government Media Office in Gaza: The occupation’s latest crime is further evidence of its ongoing implementation of genocide through starvation.

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

Tragic stampede at Nigerian school fair claims lives of 35 children

Brazil records lowest poverty rate since 2012 in landmark achievement

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

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

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