IIn times of war, it is right that we focus on the human suffering of those affected by military action. But its impact has already worsened the quality of life of families like mine, who are unable to meet the rising costs of the most basic essentials. Research from the Bank of England shows that with companies expected to raise prices sharply in the coming months, we feel genuinely fearful about the costs we will face.
What was once considered a temporary financial emergency following the invasion of Ukraine is now an ongoing, dire reality for many people. The word “crisis” suggests something we can move forward from. But this impossible effort to make ends meet now remains a constant for millions of people. This has been going on for so long that it has almost become normal. Making impossible decisions about what needs to be done, and which important item of expenditure may have to wait for another week – or more likely month – is not normal, is not right; And it hurts millions of families day after day.
i’m part of it changing realitiesOne of over 200 low-income parents documenting what life is like when you’re struggling to make ends meet. We have come together from four countries across the UK to raise awareness of daily life in poverty – but also to push for change: to argue that tomorrow must be better than today. This matters more than ever as we continue to see costs rise rapidly and expect the worse to come. As another parent, Mike, said recently, it’s no longer a cost-of-living crisis: it’s a cost. survival crisis.
Families like mine have cut back as much as they can. My two disabled daughters are now entering their second year of primary school, yet our financial circumstances have not improved significantly over the past five years. My partner works, but I’ve found that, for me, optimizing work around a child with complex needs is a nightmare, and the jobs I’ve worked don’t provide for how quickly I need to adjust my schedule at a moment’s notice. Like many people, we too are stuck in situations and struggling to find a way out.
My own family is heavily dependent on our car as my daughters struggle a lot with public transport. There is no escaping this cost, or the fear I have about the rapid rise in petrol prices.
In recent months, we have seen some positive steps to tackle child poverty. This week, the two-child benefit limit, which has trapped many people in poverty, has finally been abolished, and the minimum wage has risen. Rail fares in England have also been stabilised. But that only skims the surface of the kind of support that is desperately needed. The lowest-income households face the highest rates of inflation, because the bulk of their spending goes on the items whose cost is rising fastest: food and energy.
And what about emergency assistance? Earlier this month, the government launched the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) in England, an adapted version of its predecessor, the Domestic Support Fund. The goal of the CRF is to reduce reliance on emergency funds and build financial resilience through signposting and other means. In theory, it’s a good idea, but it’s not possible to budget money that doesn’t exist. Access to funds is also a concern. In my own experience, one of the big barriers to getting help is bureaucracy and ill-informed council workers who often don’t know how to reach out or refer people who need help.
Last week, Rachel Reeves promised her government would target cost-of-living assistance to “those who need it most.” This needs to be done faster, and the government must recognize that families with dependent children need more support, because they have more people to feed and more people to keep warm and clothe. The last round of cost-of-living expenses was provided at a flat rate, with one person getting the same amount as a family of four like mine. It doesn’t make any sense and I hope things are different and better this time.
Changes also need to be made to Universal Credit, a benefit that now extends to almost one in two households with children, after its decade-long implementation was completed this week. Simple reforms could improve this: eliminating the punitive five-week wait for the first payment, and working to ensure people have better trust in the system so many depend on. We worked with the Resolution Foundation set of changes It can only be made to achieve this: I ask now, will the government finally listen and learn?
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Ella Michalski is part of Changing Realities, a collaboration of parents and low-income families across the UK, working with researchers at the University of Glasgow, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Child Poverty Action Group.
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