Read about the woman who went viral on TikTok after her community allotment was ruined, shocking food bank statistics and calls for the government to act, and get some heartwarming advice from kids on how to deal with stress… certainly beats the tip from a top dog at the Bank of England. 

Good morning. Apparently we all have to accept that we are getting poorer. We have to stop seeking pay rises and crack on with our lot. That was actual advice from a Bank of England economist (whose annual salary is £180,000 a year, by the way).

This came just hours before the Trussell Trust revealed more people than ever before are being forced to turn to food banks because they cannot afford to eat. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to seek help from a food bank for the first time last year.

These alarming figures represent just a fraction of the situation. As Sabine Goodwin of the Independent Food Aid Network writes, many more people are suffering in silence. Around 86 per cent of people who cannot afford food never go to a food bank.

Should these people just accept they are getting poorer? Should they keep battling through without asking for help? We cannot keep normalising poverty like this. It is a public health crisis that is only going to get worse and cost an already-shattered NHS billions. 

There are solutions and we need policymakers and employers to act. Charities are calling for the government to ensure people have enough money to survive each week, at the very least. But really, we need to go much further if we want an end to the crisis. 

Here’s more on that and everything else you need to know this week…

Have you got a story I should know about? Drop me, Isabella McRae, an email at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com or DM me on Twitter @IsabellaMcrae

Need to know basis

🥫 Breaking records. Over 760,000 people were forced to use Trussell Trust food banks for the first time between April 2022 and March 2023. That is more than the population of Sheffield. Sabine Goodwin writes about how it’s a policy-driven public health calamity. Here’s how to donate to a food bank near you. 

♨️ Warm up. More than half a million people visited community “warm rooms” to escape freezing homes and escalating poverty during the winter, according to The Guardian. The real figure is likely to be much higher as many warm spaces and warm banks are not registered with the Warm Welcome campaign. 

Just a reminder that if you do need a warm space or somewhere to go to stay out of the cold, you can find one near you on this map or through your local council. 

1️⃣ Number one priority. Vulnerable people face “distress” when trying to get onto priority services registers to ensure they can access emergency help. Many more are not even aware the service exists. Ofgem is calling for a “universal priority register”, but campaigners told me they want the regulator to go further to help vulnerable people. 

⚡Sitting on billions. Energy companies are hoarding nearly £7bn of customers’ money, according to Alex Lawson’s report in The Guardian. More than 16 million UK households are collectively in credit. Think this might be impacting you? Find out how to claim your money back on Citizens Advice’s website. 

🌎 At the core of it. This is a fascinating insight into how climate change is impacting food inflation and how that is hitting the poorest the hardest, from Thomas Perrett at Byline Times. It doesn’t have to be one or the other: tackling poverty and the climate crisis goes hand in hand. 

🚫 Brexit red tape. You know what else is causing soaring food prices? Brexit. And new red tape will make matters worse, reports Stefan Boscia at Politico.

🛒 Food for thought. Another interesting take on food prices comes from Richard Partington: why isn’t the UK government focusing on soaring grocery prices? With last week’s news that food prices are going up at a faster rate than ever before, it’s time policymakers took a tougher look at what’s going on with the supply chain. 

🪧 Race to the front. British Muslims are disenfranchised at every level and it is getting worse in the cost of living crisis, writes Nadeine Asbali in this powerful opinion piece. The facts speak for themselves, with half of British Muslims living in poverty. Change is needed and urgently. 

🏠 Middle-class muddle. The Financial Times reports on how middle-class people in Britain are seeing a substantial drop in their living standards in the cost of living crisis. But I suppose they also need to just accept they are getting poorer… 

📱Broadband bargains. More than half of low-income households in the UK are in the dark about social tariffs for broadband. Ofcom says millions of families could save around £200 a year by switching. Find out how through Money Saving Expert. 

💰 Cash in hand. Cost of living payments started hitting bank accounts this week. Find out whether you are eligible for a payment here. Charities and campaigners warn that these bulk payments just won’t be enough to help people through the crisis. 

👑 Allotment queen. Carly Burd fed hundreds through her community allotment until someone sabotaged it with salt. But after her plight went viral, Carly received £250,000 in donations. My colleague Michele spoke to her about her plans for the future. 

Like what you're reading? Let people know by going to our sign-up article and sharing it on your social networks! You can also sign up to my colleague Evie's newsletter 'Working on It' which is all about making work better. 

On a cheery note

A nationwide community of young soul fans are finding solace in a dance movement established over half a century ago, writes Laura Molloy in DAZED. Despite the cost of living crisis and its impact on young people and nightlife, Northern soul is thriving. It might seem a niche interest, but this is a lovely feature on community and hope amid a time of real struggles and unprecedented inflation.

Saving those coins

There are lots of tips to help you navigate the cost of living crisis in our Talks Money magazine which is free inside the Big Issue this week. We’ve worked with a wide range of experts from sectors including finance, debt, housing, employment, benefits, energy and health, including Turn2Us, StepChange, Green Doctors, National Numeracy, The Mix, ACORN, the Independent Food Aid Network and the Mental Health Foundation. Find your local vendor here. 

Anyone doing something inspiring in your community or know about a cool initiative getting people through the cost of living crisis? Let me know at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com

Dates for your diary 📅

April 27. Teachers strike with the National Education Union. 

April 28. All-out strike from over 130,000 civil servants and public servants with the PCS Union. 

April 30. Nurses with the RCN have announced a 48 hours round-the-clock walkout, starting at 8pm, ending the evening of Tuesday May 2, the day after May 1 bank holiday.

May 2 to May 9. People who receive tax credits and no other eligible benefits will receive their cost of living payments.

May 2. Teachers strike with the National Education Union. 

May 11. Citizens Advice May Cost of Living Briefing. These events are always insightful and give a real overview of the (often bleak) situation on the frontline of the cost of living crisis. This time Citizens Advice will be joined by the IPPR and IFS. 11am, online. 

May 15. NSPA Webinar: The impact of the cost of living crisis on different groups. Ann John, a professor of public health and psychiatry at Swansea University, will explore how individuals on a low income, who are unemployed or in debt are at much greater risk of mental illness. 11am, online. 

May 25. The risks to older people around abuse and the cost of living crisis. A webinar organised by charity Hourglass. 10am, online. 

May 25. Voluntary sector organisations’ response to the rise in cost of living. This is the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) Conference, and it looks to be a great set of speakers with lots of expert knowledge between them. 9.30am, online. 

June 7. Using human rights to strengthen your campaigning on the cost of living crisis. This is organised by Just Fair. 1pm, online.  

Anything I’ve missed or any events which should be on our radar? Let me know on isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com

Catch up 📺

A new short film released by the Food Foundation sheds light on the reality faced by families struggling to put food on the table during the cost of living crisis. The film features Melissa, a mother from Solihull, who shares how soaring food prices have impacted her children. 

A GP who has been working in Birmingham for nearly 30 years says those with limited income have no choice but to eat diets which will damage their health, significantly increasing costs for the NHS. The Food Foundation calls on the government and retailers to urgently tackle this crisis and ensure everyone can eat well. You can watch the film here.

Sunny side up 🌞

Twitter-famous teacher George Pointon asked a group of kids: “How do you deal with stress?” and their answers are sure to lift your spirits! My favourite comes from Jamie: “Dig holes and fill them with water.”