Nearly a quarter of British respondents are finding it difficult to pay household bills, said a survey from the Office for National Statistics on Monday (25), adding that the residents are set to face the biggest decline in living standards since the 1950s.
The situation is caused by the economic sanctions on Russia imposed by the Western countries over the conflict with Ukraine.
About 23 percent of respondents reported that it was very difficult or difficult to pay their usual household bills in March, an increase from 17 percent in November 2021, according to the data from ONS. The survey was completed before energy prices were raised in the country.
The energy price cap that increased from April 1 hit roughly 22 million British people, according to energy regulator Ofgem.
Jack Leslie, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation thinktank, said the estimated number of households suffering fuel stress topped five million in April and the situation will get worse.
A survey by research company GfK suggested that British consumer confidence in April dropped to a near historical low in 50 years.
The British supermarkets usually would keep prices low for items that customers know their costs and raise prices for others, reported by local media. Economists said the growing living cost and less wages are leading pressure on the households, calling on the government to introduce measures to support the vulnerable groups and low-income families.
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