The heads of 70 charities have called on the government to take emergency measures, warning parents are facing heartbreaking decisions about whether to heat their homes or feed their children.
In a bombshell letter to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, the leaders of dozens of charities, including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Age UK, the Children's Society and Macmillan Cancer Support, warned the current £1,200 payment to everyone on means-tested benefits only covers about half the energy price hike.
They said it highlights the need for another payment "of at least the same magnitude" as pressure mounts on the government to step up its support for struggling families.
The charity bosses wrote: "Many of our organisations work directly with these families and are becoming overwhelmed, too often unable to provide the support so desperately needed.
"This situation cannot be allowed to continue. As the prospective leaders of this country, we urge you to act now to demonstrate the compassion and leadership needed to tackle this issue head on."
Charity heads warn parents are being forced to choose between feeding their children or heating their homes.
Paul Kissack, chief executive at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said that the consequences of sitting idly by are "unthinkable".
He said:“History shows that, when Britain faces a national emergency, Government is at its best when it steps up and takes determined and creative action to protect people and businesses, often in previously ‘unthinkable’ ways.
"We saw that after the 2008 crash with the nationalisation of banks. We saw it in the pandemic with a generous furlough scheme. The nation faces another national emergency now, and people rightly expect the Government to act to offer protection.
"Instead, we are seeing a Government asleep at the wheel, and leadership contenders failing to grasp the scale and urgency of the crisis."
He said that the current crisis has worsened problems that were already evident following years of austerity measures.
Mr Kissack said: “Even before the current crisis the social security system failed to cover the essentials, degraded by years of cuts. People are already selling their possessions, taking on risky debt and building up arrears they may never be able to pay back. And things are about to get far worse.
"Planning for a substantial support package needs to start immediately. Without it, vulnerable people will face a catastrophe on a vast scale when winter sets in. The consequences of sitting idly by are unthinkable”.
The charities have called on the government to:
- Ensure low-income households are provided with sufficient support to cope with the average £2,800 rise in the cost of living they face to April 2023. This, they said, means support should be at least doubled, with highest payments for those in most need.
- Making debt deduction rates from benefits more affordable, allowing those affected to "immediately relieve some of the financial pain" they are enduring.
Dan Paskins, director of UK Impact at Save the Children, said: “When energy bills rocket in the Autumn, families who already have it tough are going to find things even harder. Parents will face impossible choices over whether to prioritise feeding their children or heating their homes.
“We have signed this letter because the UK government must do more – and fast."
