Local people forced to decide between heating and eating

Today we joined with five other local charities to warn about the impact of the cost of living crisis in Wandsworth. Our Chief Officer, Mary-Ann Foxwell, says:

“We are advising increasing numbers of clients unable to afford the basic essentials because of increasing energy costs and the removal of the £20 per week Universal Credit uplift. At the moment more than 10% of all our clients come to us needing help with the costs of food, fuel or other essentials (up 400% from pre-pandemic levels).

We’re pleased that Wandsworth Council has recognised the impact of rising fuel costs and allocated over £800,000 from the Household Support Fund to help residents with these costs. However, just a few weeks after the introduction of the scheme, it’s clear from the enquiries that we are getting that these Fuel Support payments are inaccessible for significant numbers of our clients. We’d really like the Council to urgently re-think how the scheme works in order to ensure that this crucial support reaches those households who need it the most”.

You can read the full press release here.