Previous Story: Living in the cost-of-living crisis Next Story: Rachael Orr to move on from PlaceShapers in 2023
Steve Southwell, chair of the Resident Panel, at Worthing Homes, writes ahead of the 17 November budget...
"We can look at data and budgets but it can’t go without saying that many Britons are simply not managing on the income they have coming in. This is, in some cases, a matter of budgeting more effectively.
"However in many cases it is that the figures just don’t add up. The cost of living is exceeding the income many households have coming in.
"The increases we are all seeing in today’s cost of living are totally disproportionate to the increase in benefits. Yes, many of us can just about manage with the additional cost-of-living payments against our fuel bills. But that bears no significance with the ever increasing cost of food. For example, a basic loaf of bread, was 55p now 80p. Spread (for previously mentioned bread) was £1.25 now £2.10. Two basic commodities showing huge increases over the past few months.
"We ask for a budget that will show an increase in all benefits are in line with inflation, be it PIP, ESA, or Universal Credit to ease the burden on our wallets. We ask for said budget to be economically sustainable. We ask for help."
PlaceShapers is campaigning for benefits to be uprated in line with inflation. Kate Wareing, CEO of Soha, writing in Inside Housing, said: "The biggest political question for the new prime minister will be how that balance between revenue in and expenditure out will be recreated.
"What is important to remember is that there are real decision choices here – how the balance is struck between increasing taxation and cutting expenditure and on whom the impact of either will fall."
