Millions of UK families still can't afford food, heating and clothes, report warns Millions of Britain's poorest households are continuing to struggle to pay for basic essentials despite falling energy prices, with new research suggesting hardship has reached its highest level since the cost-of-living crisis began. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that 7.4 million low-income households have gone without at least one essential item over the past six months, the highest figure recorded since the charity began tracking living standards in 2021. Record levels of hardshipAccording to the JRF, around 62 per cent of low-income households said they had been unable to afford necessities such as food, heating, toiletries or suitable clothing. Almost half admitted they had gone hungry, skipped meals or cut back on portion sizes during the previous month because they simply did not have enough money to buy food. The charity estimates this affects around 5.6 million households across the UK. Families also reported turning down their heating, taking fewer showers, cancelling social activities and delaying essential purchases in an effort to make ends meet. Energy bills improve but pressures remainThe report found one area where conditions have improved. The number of low-income households unable to afford adequate heating has fallen by more than half a million over the past two years, helped by lower wholesale energy prices and government support that reduced household bills. However, the charity warned that cheaper energy has done little to ease wider financial pressures, with food and everyday living costs continuing to stretch family budgets. For many households, lower heating costs have simply replaced one financial burden with another rather than ending the crisis. Official figures paint a similar pictureSeparate data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests financial pressures remain widespread across Britain. Two-thirds of adults said their cost of living had increased compared with the previous month. Among those experiencing higher costs, 93 per cent blamed rising food prices, while 77 per cent pointed to fuel costs and 61 per cent cited gas and electricity bills. The ONS also found that one in four adults would be unable to cover an unexpected £850 expense, highlighting how little financial resilience many households now have. More than a third said they did not expect to save any money over the next year. Cost of living remains Britain's biggest concernThe survey found that the cost of living continues to rank as the public's biggest worry, ahead of both the NHS and the wider economy. Despite signs that consumer confidence has begun improving in countries such as the United States, the JRF says millions of British families remain trapped by rising everyday costs. The charity argues that while inflation has eased and energy prices have fallen from their peaks, the financial damage caused by years of soaring household bills continues to leave many people facing impossible choices between heating their homes, buying food and paying for other basic necessities. For millions of families, the cost-of-living crisis may have slipped from the headlines—but the struggle to afford everyday essentials is far from over. SOURCE
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