Young people in supported housing 'choosing between heating and food'

The report, Inside the cost-of-living crisis, is based on the views of young people living in supported housing.

It finds that they are growing more reliant on food banks and donations as financial strain increases, and will be forced to choose between eating meals or heating their homes this winter.

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One 22-year old YMCA resident from Basingstoke said: “I had the choice, pay most of my bills or use it for food. It went on bills because that was my priority. Paying my bills I’m in less debt, again I went without food.”

Another resident, a young mother aged 20, added: “I’ve had to cut back on the amount of fruit we’re eating, one orange between [my children] instead of one orange each because of the price of everything just to stretch things a little bit further.”

Young people who had planned to move on from supported housing now feel this would be too risky in the current financial climate, the report says, adding that those struggling to secure stable employment expressed concern over the uncertain future of essential benefits.

Many young people on benefits are already in high levels of debt, but financial stability has become a growing worry for those in supported housing, who are exempt from the government’s proposed £400 energy rebate, according to YMCA England and Wales.

Young people who took part in the study said they also found that increasing financial strains had taken a toll on their mental health, with some feeling unable to socialise or use public transport due to cost, leaving them isolated.

Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England and Wales, said that financial strain and limited job prospects were already disproportionately affecting young people in supported housing, but the cost-of-living crisis has increased these threats.

“Now, they face having to decide between eating and staying warm, alongside increasing uncertainty over threats that risk plunging them even further below the poverty line, and fighting damaging stereotypes when trying to secure work.

"The lack of support from the government risks leaving them more desperate and disillusioned than ever.

“If government really aspires to help those most in need to secure the employment they are so desperate for and achieve financial stability, they need to help young people establish the confidence and independence to do just that," she added.

YMCA England and Wales has launched a petition alongside the report, calling for urgent action from the government to end the cost-of-living crisis, which will be passed to ministers before 31 October.

The charity is urging the government to provide support for young people living in supported accommodation by updating welfare benefits in line with inflation and increasing funding to provide local authority grants to support local needs such as food and winter clothes vouchers.

YMCA has also asked the government to amend eligibility requirements for the £400 energy rebate to include people living in supported housing, and to address barriers facing those who are job hunting, and those attempting to move on from supported accommodation.

Meanwhile, latest data from The Food Foundation's Food Insecurity Tracker indicates a rapid increase in families experiencing food insecurity.

The data shows that 26 per cent of households with children have inadequate access to food, marking an increase of 50 per cent since April. 

The total number of households affected by food insecurity has doubled since January, with nearly one in five households being unable to afford food, forcing them to skip meals, eat less, or go whole days without eating. 

The rising energy bills associated with the cost-of-living crisis is closely linked to food insecurity, the Food Foundation say, noting that 71 per cent of households who had difficulty affording food in the past month said they cooked less, turned off fridges, or washed dishes in cold water.

Following this data, the Food Foundation is calling for urgent action to ensure all children from families on universal credit have access to at least one nutritious free school meal per day.