Need to know basis
🇬🇧 Blimey! Ah Britain. A country which prides itself on a great cuppa and Harry Kane’s right foot. But, as it stands, most Brits are not rushing to boast about the economy. The IMF has predicted that the UK is on track to do worse than any other economy in the G7 this year, shrinking by 0.3 per cent. But why are we doing so badly? Here’s what the experts say.
👨⚕️ Organ-ised strikes. Junior doctors walked out of hospitals this week in protest over poor pay and working conditions. It comes after years of pay freezes have seen professionals leave the health service in droves. They’re calling for a 35 per cent pay rise. My colleague Eliza headed to the picket lines.
🧸 Quit to babysit. Childcare costs are forcing one in four parents to quit work or education, according to a new study from charity Theirworld. Parents spoke to the Manchester Evening News about their experiences. If you are struggling with childcare costs, we have advice on finding financial support here.
🚐 Nan in a van. A great-grandmother who was evicted from her home and made homeless after her landlord put up her rent by almost £300 a month has become a TikTok star after she started living in a van. My colleague Liam spoke to her, and her story is a real indicator of where we’ve got to as a country.
🏊 Just keep swimming. This is an interesting article in The Conversation and a topic I’ve not seen talked about before in the context of the cost of living crisis. It discusses why decreased access to swimming is harming children and young people, with the average cost of swimming lessons almost doubling since before the pandemic. The UK’s swimming governing bodies have united under a campaign to “save our pools”.
🛒 Penny pinchers. People are increasingly shoplifting their way out of the cost of living crisis, according to this report from Novara Media. It is a pretty harrowing read about the people who feel they have no choice but to steal food. Just a reminder there is help out there: we have a guide to cost of living help here, and you can also contact your local council or Citizens Advice.
🃏 Down to the wire. Other people feeling the pinch are turning to gambling to get them through the cost of living crisis – from trying to win money to using betting shops as warm banks. Campaigners are calling for the industry to be assessed to make sure vulnerable people are not being harmed or exploited. See more on the risks of gambling here.
💡 Plan of action. The New Economics Foundation is calling for a “national energy guarantee” which entitles every household to a free amount of essential energy. The experts claim it would lower bills by 88 per cent by 2024, and it would be funded by tougher windfall taxes on energy producers.
👑 Staycations for the coronation. The cost of living crisis is scuppering lots of people’s plans for the coronation, so ITV reports. We’ll all be staying in to celebrate Charles’ big day then! It seems people are staying in full stop, actually, with more people opting to entertain at home because of costs.
