Britons skipping meals ‘just to keep the lights on’

Britons are skipping meals “just to keep the lights on”, states a new research, claiming that nearly 11 million people are now behind on their bills while more than five million have gone without food. 

According to the Money Advice Trust report, an estimated 20 percent of UK adults, or 10.9 million people, are behind on one or more household bill – up by 3 million since March. This figure was much higher, at 45 percent, for households that received a means-tested benefit, the debt charity said. 

The figures, based on an Opinium survey of 2,000 UK adults in August, found 5.6 million have gone without food- included skipping meals, eating once a day or not eating at all on some days- in the past three months as a result of the cost of living crisis. 

Nearly eight million people had sold a personal or household item to help cover bills, according to the poll. 

The report adds that many households had little or no wriggle room left in their budgets to cope with rising prices with 41 percent had already cut all nonessential spending. One in nine said they were already in energy arrears while a similar number said their energy supplier had increased their monthly payments to a level they could not afford. 

Joanna Elson, the charity’s chief executive, said the government’s energy price guarantee had brought relief from the fear of future bill increases, but for millions the damage had already been done. 

“Many households are already facing impossible choices, such as which meal to skip just to keep the lights on,” said Elson. The charity is calling on the government to use this week’s budget to provide targeted support for those on the lowest incomes.