Approximately 2 million households in the UK are compelled to deactivate their refrigerators or freezers due to financial constraints, exposing the alarming level of hardship faced by low-income families, reports the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). Nearly half of these households resorted to disconnecting their cooling appliances for the first time since May, underscoring the lingering impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis. The JRF’s latest survey indicates that millions of families are adopting desperate measures, such as forgoing food, cutting heating, and neglecting worn-out clothing, in response to escalating bills and prices.
In October, a quarter of low-income households (2.8 million) accrued debt to meet their food expenses, a third resorted to selling possessions for cash, and one in six sought refuge in community “warm rooms,” according to the JRF’s cost of living crisis tracker. Despite the government allocating over £12 billion in targeted cost of living support and a recent decline in inflation, 7.3 million households experienced deprivation of essential needs, suggesting an enduring crisis. Speculation abounds that ministers might freeze the value of working age benefits from April, potentially leaving around 9 million households facing an average loss of £460 and exacerbating poverty.
Peter Matejic, Chief Analyst at the JRF, warns of the dire consequences of families unplugging their refrigeration units, risking health issues from spoiled food and the absence of fresh, nutritious options. He emphasizes the worsening situation for low-income families even as inflation subsides, with many resorting to loans, asset sales, and community support to survive.
Matejic decries the reported consideration of cutting benefits to fund tax cuts, urging an increase in benefits aligned with inflation and the unfreezing of local housing allowances. Concerns are raised by charities that despite headline drops in inflation, without corresponding increases in eroded benefits, the living standards of the poorest will not improve. The JRF identifies universal credit dependents, households of Black, Asian, and mixed ethnicities, families with disabilities, and those with children as the most vulnerable groups experiencing deprivation.
Responding to the concerns, a Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson defends the government’s efforts, citing a record £94 billion support package to alleviate rising bills. The spokesperson highlights a 10.1% increase in benefits earlier in the year and a £3.5 billion investment to facilitate job placements as part of the long-term strategy to secure financial stability. The government asserts that reducing inflation remains a pivotal measure to assist families, reaffirming its commitment to halving inflation this year.
