A survey conducted by the Which? Consumer insight tracker has found that one in seven people have skipped meals due to the rising cost of living.
Of those surveyed, 9% have prioritized meals for other family members above themselves, and 4% have had to use a food bank.
The survey also discovered that 72% of respondents have turned the heating on less due to rising prices, 39% use less hot water, and 19% have fewer cooked meals.
Additionally, in the last month, an estimated 2.3 million households have missed or defaulted on a vital payment such as a mortgage, rent, credit card, or bill payment.
Furthermore, the survey indicated that 59% of respondents have made at least one financial adjustment in the last month, such as cutting back on essentials, selling items, or dipping into savings, to cover essential spending. This equates to an estimated 16.5 million households.
Although this figure is up from 52% last year, it is down from the peak of 65% in September.
Rocio Concha, Which? The director of policy and advocacy expressed concern over the survey’s findings.
He called on the government and essential businesses to do more to support customers through the cost-of-living crisis.
Concha recommended that the government urgently consider postponing its decision to increase the energy price guarantee to £3,000 in April, as some families are still impacted by high inflation.
The survey was conducted online by Yonder and involved around 2,000 respondents for the monthly Which? Consumer Insight Tracker.
»Consumer insight tracker discovers that one in seven people skips meals«
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