MerseysideWe are deeply concerned about the rising cost of living and how it is affecting individuals and families in the UK. We recently visited Knowsley, the UK’s second most deprived borough, just before Christmas to see how people are coping with the skyrocketing prices of everyday essentials. We met with Henry, who runs the new Hut Center, a valuable resource for the local community.
During our visit, we met with Liza, a pensioner who is struggling to make ends meet. She can only afford to have two meals a day, and sometimes, she goes without food altogether. Liza used to be upset about her situation, but she has learned to accept it as a way of life. We also spoke with John, a single working mom with two young kids. John finds it challenging to make ends meet because the cost of living has gone up, and her salary has not kept pace.
The rising cost of living is a major issue for people like Liza and John, and it is having a significant impact on their lives. The price of food has gone up by over 17% in the year to January, and 96% of people have experienced increased food prices in the last 12 months. As a result, over half of us are now spending less on food and essentials.
It is clear that something needs to be done to help people like Liza and John, and that is where the Hut Center comes in. The center provides a range of valuable services to the local community, including a free lunch club for locals every Tuesday. The center also runs a social supermarket that provides everyday staples at discounted prices. However, the center is in constant need of restocking, and they rely on funding from the government to keep their services running.
In 2021, the government launched a 500 million pound scheme across all four nations to provide support to those most in need. In England, the scheme is called the household support fund, and it is administered through local authorities every six months. The Hut Center relies on this funding to keep their services running, but they are concerned about how sustainable it will be in the long term.
The government has guaranteed the funding for another year from April, but for organizations like the Hut Center, they are still waiting to hear if they will qualify, which could impact their services. This uncertainty is causing a lot of anxiety for people who rely on the center’s services, and it is unclear how they will cope if the funding is not renewed.
John’s situation highlights how the rising cost of living is affecting families across the UK. She is now reliant on the goodwill of family to fill gaps in childcare, and it is putting her in a difficult position. She needs to work, but she also needs to take care of her children, and it is becoming increasingly challenging to balance both.
The rising cost of living is a complex issue, and there are no easy solutions. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to support individuals and families who are struggling to make ends meet. The Hut Center is doing an excellent job of providing essential services to the local community, but they need more support from the government to continue their work.
In conclusion, we need to come together as a society and address the issue of the rising cost of living. We must support organizations like the Hut Center that are doing vital work in our communities, and we must also demand more action from the government to ensure that everyone has access to the essentials they need to live a decent life.
