The human suffering in the North East caused by the cost-of-living crisis has been brought to life by an interactive map of real-life stories designed by a leading campaign group.
38 Degrees’ cost of living map (www.costoflivingmap.com) contains stories from around the UK from people struggling to cope with rising prices and other pressures linked to the current economic crisis. It has been released in the run-up to Thursday’s autumn statement, in which the Government is expected to announce cuts in public spending in a bid to help balance its books.
Every pinpoint on the map represents someone who has agreed to speak out in the hope of forcing the Government to put a rescue plan in place for the most vulnerable in society.
Read more: Newcastle foodbank at risk of closure
It comes after a warning last week from a leading food bank organisation that many people were at “breaking point”, with almost 1.3m emergency parcels given to people in hunger over just six months. At the same time, a number of organisations around the North East are setting up ‘warm zones’ to ensure people unable to afford to heat their homes do not go cold over the winter.
The map highlights stories like that of Deborah, a 41-year-old nurse and single parent from south east Northumberland, who said: “I will not be putting my heating on this winter, and I am already struggling to buy enough food before the worst of the increases.”
Also quoted is disabled father-of-five Michael, from Newcastle, who said: “I feel like I am losing control, which makes me feel depressed. This is because to keep our home running, we have to cut back on social interactions as a family.”
The map also highlights the story of many people who were once comfortable, but now find their income stretched to the limits. Among them is Michael, a 61-year-old engineer from Sunderland.
He said: “I never thought we would struggle, but here we are. I get to the end of the month and I have to decide what to do and what not to do. It’s quite scary how the money just isn’t there any more.”
A number of campaign groups in the North East have called on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to meet a manifesto promise and protect the most vulnerable in society by increasing benefits in line with inflation. Separately, there has been a warning that the North East has some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK.
Veronica Hawking, head of campaigns at 38 Degrees, said: “The heartbreaking stories across this map showcase the North East’s cost of living catastrophe: panicking parents worrying about hungry kids; pensioners too scared to switch the heating on; working people who fear losing the roof over their head as rents and mortgages soar.
“Even before the last five months of Government chaos, people throughout the North East needed help. Now, they’re in urgent need of rescue.
“Rishi Sunak should look at these stories and see: if he wants to lead this country, he must help its families make it through this winter.
“Each pinprick on our map represents a real person, and the stress, fear and anxiety that the cost of living catastrophe is forcing them to live with.
“Cutting our NHS to the bone, slashing local council funding and making families’ lives even harder isn’t the rescue plan people in the North East are crying out for.”
A Government spokesman last week said: “We are directly supporting households in need following the aftershocks from the pandemic and Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, including sending another Cost-of-Living Payment this month worth £324 to over eight million people, part of a £1,200 package for those on the lowest incomes.
“Our extensive immediate support for families also includes our energy price guarantee, saving around £700 for a typical household over winter, and our household support fund, worth over £1bn to help people with essential costs, combined with longer-term changes such as altering Universal Credit to help people keep £1,000 more of what they earn every year.”
READ NEXT:
