During the cost-of-living crisis, more than half of Britons are concerned about their capacity to pay for food, according to a new research.
More than two-fifths (44%) were concerned about meeting rent and mortgage payments, as household incomes continue to shrink.
The findings spurred activists to demand that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak take “serious action” to alleviate the “suffering and fear” of millions of Americans.
Inflation in the United Kingdom reached a new 41-year high of 11.1% in October, and experts have warned that things will only get worse.
Mr. Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will release their Autumn Statement tomorrow, which is anticipated to feature expenditure cuts and tax increases in an effort to plug a £55 billion deficit in the public budget.
Prior to the Chancellor’s decision, the new report by the Compassion In Politics think tank, which was shared with MailOnline, shows the depth of concern among households regarding their capacity to pay bills.
One-third (34%) of Conservative supporters and more than half (55%) of Labour voters expressed concern about their capacity to pay for food, according to a survey conducted by Opinium for Compassion In Politics.
Those aged 35 to 59 were the most likely to be concerned (57%), while those aged 65 and more were the least concerned (45 per cent).
27 percent of Conservative voters were concerned about their capacity to cover housing bills, compared to 51 percent of Labour voters.
Those between the ages of 18 and 34 were the most anxious (58%) about housing prices, while those over the age of 65 were once again the least concerned (26%).
During the cost-of-living crisis, more than half of Britons are concerned about their capacity to pay for food, according to a new poll.
More than two-fifths (44%) were concerned about making rent and mortgage payments, according to the study.
Tomorrow, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will release their Autumn Statement, which is expected to contain budget cuts and tax increases.
Ahead of tomorrow’s Autumn Statement, over three-quarters (74%) believed the government was handling the cost-of-living situation “poorly.”
This included 58 percent of those who supported the Conservatives in the 2019 general election.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of individuals between the ages of 35 and 49 believed ministers were performing poorly.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) believed the government cared more about the well-being of the wealthy than of the least fortunate; this sentiment was held by nearly three-fifths (58%) of Tory supporters.
More over one-third (36%) believed Mr. Hunt should increase taxes and boost spending on public services, compared to less than one-fifth (18%) who believed the government should reduce taxes and spending.
A quarter (25%) believed that taxes and spending should remain unchanged.
Britons were asked whether they would like the government to implement a guaranteed right to shelter, food, and a good salary as one answer to the cost-of-living crisis.
Three in five (60%) believe that a new legislation should be passed in the United Kingdom granting the people the right to shelter, food, and a sufficient income, while less than one in five (18%) disagree.
More than one-fifth (22%) of respondents did not know.
67% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 34 approved the proposition, compared to 43% of those who voted for the Conservative Party in 2019.
One-third (33%) of those who voted Conservative in the most recent national election opposed the idea.
Almost one-third (29%) of those polled identified a ‘universal basic income’ – a regular government payment given to every member of society – with ‘compassionate Conservatism’
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of respondents believed the government was ‘poorly’ handling the cost-of-living challenge.
Three-fifths (60%) believe a new law should be passed in Britain guaranteeing the right to shelter, food, and an adequate income, while less than one-fifth (18%) disagree.
In October, the headline CPI rate reached a record 41-year high of 11.1%, up from 10.1% the previous month and well above the 10.7% economists had predicted.
Jennifer Nadel, co-director of Compassion in Politics, stated, ‘The Prime Minister has acknowledged the urgent need for a compassionate approach to government – one that focuses all efforts on addressing the pain and anxiety millions of people are experiencing.
However, warm words must be matched by concrete action.
This will necessitate the protection of the public’s right to food, income, and shelter. It will necessitate establishing a more equitable tax system so that the nation’s vast wealth is distributed more equitably.
And this will necessitate investment in public services so that people can receive the assistance, guidance, and care they require in times of crisis.
Emma Marks, senior socio-economic officer at the charity The Equality Trust, concurred that “targeting support to the most vulnerable through an immediate, guaranteed right to food, housing, and income would assist in addressing the cost of inequality crisis.”
Save the Children’s executive director of policy, advocacy, and campaigns, Kirsty McNeill, stated: ‘Families are deeply concerned about how they will pay for groceries, rent, and mortgages.
The government must take significant steps to ensure that parents can provide their children with the childhood they deserve.
“Inflation-adjusted benefit increases, which we hope to see in the budget, are just the beginning. There is much more that Rishi Sunak can do to alleviate the acute stress that these financial hardships have placed on families.’
Between November 2 and 4, 2,000 British adults were surveyed by Opinium