Millions of families unplugging their fridges or freezers due to cost-of-living crisis

According to new research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), one in six low income families (17 per cent) turned off their fridge of freezer at some point during the cost of living crisis.Almost half said they had done so in the past six months.

This practice is in spite of medical advice warning of the dangers of turning off a fridge or freezer as it can cause food to spoil.

Based upon data on 4,000 households, the research finds in October 2023:

• 7.3 million low-income families had gone without essentials like food, heating and adequate clothing in the six months prior.
• Around 200,000 more low-income families experienced food insecurity, defined as reducing meals, skipping meals or going hungry in the previous 30 days.
• 2.8 million households or 24 per cent of all low-income households are in debt because they had to borrow money to help pay for food.
• 3.8 million households or 33 per cent of all low-income households had sold their belongings to help cope with rising costs.
• 1.8 million households or 15 per cent of all low-income households used a warm bank to help cope with rising costs.

This is despite targeted cost of living payments being distributed by the Government, falling inflation, benefits being updated by 10 per cent in April and wages rising faster, on average, than inflation since June, says the JRF.

Peter Matejic, chief analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said, ‘Millions of families unplugging their fridges and freezers is the latest chapter in a long-running story of hardship. People risk becoming sick from eating spoiled food and going without healthy, fresh food. This risks lasting harm to the health of millions.  

‘It is unconscionable that the Government is reportedly considering cutting struggling families' benefits to fund tax cuts.’

The JRF is calling on the Government to announce within the Autumn Statement an increase to working-age benefits in line with inflation, at the very minimum. It also wants more targeted support for low-income private renters and low-income mortgage holders.