Good morning and welcome back to Survival Guide on another chilly day.

I hope the New Year is treating you well, but you are far from alone if you are finding January tricky. The festivities are over and it’s back to ordinary life, except that our bank accounts are more drained than they were before Christmas. 

It can be a particularly lonely time, with fewer of us socialising and the cold weather keeping us hidden in our homes. Research carried out by the Co-op shows that January is the month when people are most likely to experience loneliness.

But that’s where community meals – like those run by charity FoodCycle – can be so valuable. At least once a week, people gather together to share food and a laugh.

I went to one of the lunches in South London and met a prison leaver, refugee, pensioners and other guests who were all enjoying a meal. When there is so much division in the world, that’s quite an image of hope. 

And you don’t have to be struggling with money to join. Anyone can go along. 

We’ve also got some more hopeful stories about the incredible projects across the world ensuring people have safe homes – from rebuilding Ukraine to fighting evictions in Jakarta.

And read to the end for all you need to know about getting free childcare…

If you have a story to share, we want to listen. Get in touch at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com or share your story here.

Joseph's story: 'This is going to get a bit deep'

A man who spent more than a decade in prison, an Iraqi refugee who cannot afford food and three old friends whiling away a couple of hours. They all eat together every week in a community hall in South London.

This community meal is hosted by charity FoodCycle, which strives to end loneliness, food poverty and food waste across the country. 

Joseph Chandler is one of the first to arrive, and he sits alone in the centre of the room. He lights up as he looks around for people to speak to and gives me a big, gappy smile. Right away, he wants to show me pictures of his two dogs who are his closest companions.

Joseph was in prison for 12 years, he admits, but now he is out he just wants to keep himself clean. He found a community in his local church and started volunteering, and he comes to FoodCycle each week for some companionship. 

FoodCycle has built a community which welcomes everyone, regardless of their background or experiences. They are brought together by food and conversation. And when we live in a society where people are so often shunned for being different, that is something we should cherish.

Read about Joseph and his companions here and find a local FoodCycle near you here – whether you want to join a meal or volunteer.

In case you missed it

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Rishi Sunak claims he’s going to cut taxes by tightening benefits. The PM has promised to reward the British public with tax cuts and he’ll cut back on disability benefits to fund it. But does that make economic sense? Here’s why it will backfire.

Tories accused of playing Big Brother with a bill giving DWP powers to ‘snoop’ on bank accounts. It has passed through its second reading in parliament and it is now being debated in the House of Lords. Read the story.

No excuse for shoplifting due to ‘generous’ UK benefits system, minister says. The policing minister said that the benefits system was very generous, so we gave him a reality check. Read about it.

Two-thirds of the government's £4.2bn housebuilding fund remains unspent – so we spent it for them. From paying off everyone’s energy debt to building 36,000 modular homes, there are so many ways the government could spend the money. Here is how.

Ethnic minorities are still paid less than white colleagues – and pay parity is long, long overdue. New research shows that 38% of people from ethnically diverse groups are underpaid and this has a direct impact on their lives. Read more.

Average UK household faces £17,200 of debt by 2026: ‘We can’t afford a Tory government any longer’. People in the UK will face record debt, above levels seen in 2007, if urgent changes are not made to boost pay and benefits. Get the story.

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Rebuilding Ukraine and fighting forced evictions: These projects will give you hope in 2024

There are incredible projects all over the world which are ensuring people have a safe place to live – even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Housing Rights in Jakarta gave residents in village communities the power to fight back against forced evictions and saw evicted families return to their homes as well as city-wide regulatory changes introduced.

A Chilean government project supported 40,000 people in rural communities by building or renovating 10,000 homes.

New Ground in North London UK’s first co-housing community for women. All the residents are aged 50-plus and it is intended to tackle loneliness and isolation alongside the healthcare needs of an ageing population.

Meanwhile, an emergency housing project in Ukraine is converting abandoned buildings into temporary accommodation to support people displaced during Russia’s invasion.

Get inspired by more stories here.

Saving those coins: How to get free childcare and more

Childcare can be horrendously expensive – and in the cost of living crisis, it’s vital that families claim all the support to which they are entitled.

Applications have opened to get 15 hours of free childcare for your two-year-olds from April 2024. It’s advised that you start applying from 15 January, so you don’t have to reapply in March. Find out more here.

You also might be able to get support for childcare if you are on universal credit (we explain all you need to know here), tax-free childcare or 30 hours of free childcare.

The government is currently in the process of expanding free childcare to cover more families, but it’s been criticised for benefiting rich and middle-income families while the poorest children will miss out. Read more.