Good morning. Welcome back to Survival Guide. It’s Isabella here. 

It’s a big week in the world of cost of living news. Jeremy Hunt announced his Autumn Statement yesterday, one of the Conservative government’s last ditch attempts to convince the British public that they have a grand plan to get the economy back on track ahead of the next general election. 

That in mind, this week’s newsletter looks a little bit different so we can have a proper look at what it all means for your bank balance. This is important and will have a huge impact on people’s lives in the cost of living crisis. 

Public spending is very much under pressure at the moment, even as the economy starts to recover. And one of the impacts of this is that public services could well face further budget squeezes and it’s often marginalised people who are hit the hardest. 

Take public toilets: slashed budgets mean that councils have shut loos up and down the country. It’s having a harrowing effect on the lives of disabled people, homeless people and vulnerable people. Read on to meet Yinka, who feels her human rights have been stripped away. 

Also this week, because we’re approaching Christmas (yes, already), we wanted to put a spotlight on how you can make a difference to people’s lives. Keep reading on for more…

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

Yinka's story: 'I urinated myself in the opticians'

Yinka barely steps outside because she is afraid she will urinate herself. On the rare occasion she leaves the house, she starves and dehydrates herself the night before. She is isolated. And she blames a public toilets crisis across the UK.

“I have no life,” Yinka told me. “I don’t want to upset anybody, but I feel like I’m the living dead. What is my purpose in life? I can’t go out.”

Nearly 60% of public loos have been lost since 2010, mostly a result of slashed council budgets. Councils faced a £15bn real-terms reduction to core government funding between 2010 and 2020 and toilets were one of the first sacrifices.

“It is human dignity,” says Raymond Martin of the British Toilet Association. “You’re abusing people’s rights. Toilets are something we need as a human species. We have to get rid of the poisons. When we eat and drink that turns into poisons and urine and we have to get that out of our bodies otherwise we get sick.”

Disabled people already face so many extra costs, and it is particularly bad in the current crisis. This is one more cost of being disabled – and it makes them feel like “prisoners”. Read about the public toilets crisis here. 

In case you missed it

Benefits claimants to lose free NHS prescriptions if they refuse work. They could also have their benefits stripped away at a time when they are already struggling to afford the essentials. Here’s what we know.

DWP snooping on benefit claimants’ bank accounts will ‘only whip up hatred of disabled people’, says disability rights journalist and activist Rachel Charlton-Dailey. Get her thoughts.

Thames Water was forced to pay back millions to customers over pollution. But campaigners say it doesn’t go far enough. Read about it.

Sadiq Khan gives councils new powers to buy 10,000 homes and tackle social housing crisis. They will get funds to buy homes off homeowners and wantaway private landlords to boost the number of affordable homes. Get the story.

Thousands of 16 and 17-year-old children were homeless in England last year. And they were treated like “adults”. Here’s the story. 

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This is what the Autumn Statement actually means for your bank balance

Right, so there’s a lot to unpack with the Autumn Statement – and those living in poverty are once again at the bottom of the pile in the government’s economic plans. 

There is good news: benefits and pensions being increased, there’s a boost to the national living wage and an end to the freeze on local housing allowance. 

But all of this comes with caveats. Benefits are being increased by 6.7% from April, but that won’t be nearly enough as claimants are struggling to afford even the basics they need to survive. 

They’ll also face increased threat of sanctions as the budget was all about driving people into work. That includes people with illnesses and disabilities who could have their benefits stripped away or be refused free prescriptions if they do not find work. Charities are urgently calling for the covering to rethink this – because it could cause destitution.

Pensioners will see a higher increase of 8.5%, as the chancellor opted to keep their wallets happy and stick to the rules of the triple lock. 

The national living wage increase is welcome, but it still doesn’t meet the real living wage –  that’s a rate calculated by the Living Wage Foundation based on up-to-date costs, taking into account the prices of food, bills and other daily costs.

Research from the Living Wage Foundation found 60% of people earning below the real living wage had used a food bank in the past year and nearly 40% were regularly skipping meals.

And then there’s the so-called tax cuts, as the government reduces national insurance and income tax. But economists have said we should really be prepared for our taxes to rise, and only those on higher incomes are set to feel any real benefit. 

Read all of that and more in The Big Issue’s analysis of the Autumn Budget.

How to donate toys and gifts to children in need this Christmas

Christmas is a magical time for so many children – waiting for Santa to arrive, unwrapping presents, feasting on roast dinner.

But it is also an expensive time of year, more than ever in the cost of living crisis, and many children will have to go without this Christmas. If you’ve ever considered giving a Christmas gift or donating a toy to a child who might otherwise not receive one, now is the time.

There are a number of ways to give to disadvantaged kids this festive season, from toy drives to cash donations and Christmas dinners. Read here to find out how you could donate to children this year.