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UK cost of living crisis continues to soar

Tuesday, 22 March 2022 1:17 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 22 March 2022 1:17 AM ]

Saeed Pourreza
Press TV, London

To many, poverty in England is a figment of the imagination. But with living costs climbing up every day, just getting by is becoming more of a struggle than ever. And not just for the vulnerable.

Announcing a phase-out of Russian oil imports earlier this month, PM Boris Johnson spoke of “dark days ahead,” but those days seem to be here already.

Charities such as Stepchange are calling on the government to increase welfare benefits and offer more help with skyrocketing energy bills. There are families who can only turn on their heating for two hours a day and use torches at night rather than spending on electric light.

The answer from the government has left a lot to be desired. Chancellor Rishi Sunak says he cannot fully protect people from the consequences of rising prices.

To try to curb the soaring cost of living, the bank of England has upped interest rates. But it’s a fine balance.

Landlords soon pass on increases. Rising interest rates affect everyone including renters. But not everyone is affected equally because if you’re already spending every penny on essentials like housing, food and energy bills, what’s there to cut when prices go up?

It means more people pushed into poverty. 2.5 million people in United Kingdom used a food bank in the past year. A former Prime Minister has called the crisis the worst he’s ever seen.

It’s a time of ordinary people trying to deal with extraordinary price hikes with very little in the way of respite on the horizon.

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