Read on for a harrowing story about a man who took his own life after fearing his benefits would be snatched away. A woman with cancer worries about affording the heating this winter. And the cost of living crisis is coming for polyamorous relationships, apparently…
Good morning. Isabella McRae here, back with your weekly Survival Guide – the newsletter helping you navigate the cost of living crisis with a breakdown of the latest news, money-saving tips and uplifting stories showing the strength of our communities.
Aggrieved Londoners are out in full force after the ultra low emission zone (Ulez) has been expanded to include all of London’s boroughs. Drivers of the oldest, most-polluting vehicles will have to pay £12.50 a day under the mayor of London’s controversial plan…
Critics of the Ulez have used the cost of living crisis as a tool to fight their corner. They say people who are struggling to get by won’t be able to cope with potential fines of £90 each month. Would you pay this much to save the environment?
“As usual, the costs fall on ordinary people rather than the big polluters,” a frustrated west Londoner told The Guardian’s Helena Horton. And in a way, fair enough. Big polluters like airlines should face tougher penalties and be at the centre of efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
Recent analysis shows that charging airlines as much fuel duty as ordinary car drivers would raise billions of pounds, potentially paying for wind farms, hospitals and electric vehicles.
But Sadiq Khan is making significant efforts to help ordinary people cope with Ulez. He has introduced the scrappage scheme, and a total of £160 million has been made available to help Londoners make the switch.
Every Londoner will receive financial assistance to scrap vehicles that don’t meet the Ulez standards.
If you’re a London resident in one of the 32 London boroughs with an eligible vehicle, you can apply to scrap your car or motorcycle. You no longer need to be receiving benefits to apply. There are also grants for small businesses and charities too. My colleague Greg, The Big Issue's activism reporter, explains everything you need to know.
Khan previously said expanding the Ulez will build “a better, greener, fairer, and healthier London for everyone” by tackling the threats of air pollution, the climate crisis and congestion.
Air pollution can be linked to up to 4,000 premature deaths in London a year. The expansion of Ulez will save 27,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in outer London as well as reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions by up to 10%.
Ulez might come at a price. But the costs of pollution could be far greater in the long term.
Here’s what else you need to know this week…
Need to know basis
📉 Energy drop. Millions could be left cold this winter despite the slight drop to the energy price cap. I spoke to a woman with breast cancer who is worried about affording her heating in the bitterly cold months ahead. The New Economics Foundation’s Alex Chapman writes that energy must be treated as a fundamental right with a National Energy Guarantee.
If you are worried about energy bills or any other costs in the current crisis, we’ve got a guide to where you can go to get help.
🛍️ Retail therapy. People are shopping more, helped by slightly lower energy prices and accelerating wage growth, according to The Financial Times. The figures were better than expected for August, boosting hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel in the cost of living crisis.
🪧 Death by welfare. A young man took his own life after years of struggling with the disability benefits system. His mother told me she blames the public services and Department for Work and Pensions, at least in part, for his death. She wants to fight for change on her son’s behalf. This is a harrowing story, but it needs to be told.
🚫 Thousands lose out. More than 800,000 households on universal credit received less money last year because they were previously awarded too much in tax credits, the BBC has found. This administrative error means the government is in the process of clawing back £1.5 billion from these people.
Are you in this situation? Let me know by emailing me at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com
🏖 Beside the seaside. Business owners in seaside town Torquay tell their stories of struggle in the cost of living crisis, in this feature by Joe Middleton in The Guardian. It comes after shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said last month she wanted to “supercharge seaside towns” to boost their economic prospects and create new jobs.
💔 Cost of polyamory. Apparently, according to Beth Ashley in Vice, the cost of living crisis has come for polyamorous relationships. Sure, you might be able to split bills. But imagine the costs of multiple date nights a week. It’s an interesting take on a consequence of the crisis that’s really not been talked about.
✈️ Airline tax. Charging airlines as much fuel duty as ordinary car drivers would raise billions of pounds, new analysis has shown, potentially paying for wind farms, hospitals and electric vehicles. Journalist Charlotte Elton explains for The Big Issue.
🪑 Furniture for all. Have you got an old sofa lying about? How about a chair that no one sits on? That coffee table in the corner that you thought would be a nifty purchase but actually takes too much space? You could donate your old furniture to charity. Here’s what you need to know.
