The cost of ‘fun’ has skyrocketed in 2021, putting an extra squeeze on household budgets, new analysis has found.
The cost of cinema trips, theatre visits and concerts in November was 13.6% higher than the year before, according to Labour ’s analysis of figures from the Office for National Statistics and the House of Commons Library.
That’s more than twice the rate of inflation, which was 5.1% for the same month.
Cinemas have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with major chain Cineworld reporting a 61.9% slump in revenues during the six months to July 2021, compared to the previous six months.
The chain was forced to increase ticket prices by an average of more than 40% to compensate.
But it means families already struggling with rising petrol food and energy bills now face higher prices for a trip out in the new year.
Working people are already facing a looming cost of living crunch this year, with the National Insurance hike looming and council tax rises set to bite in the coming months.
Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Powell, said: “Families are already facing soaring costs for petrol, food and energy bills.
“They will now be hit by the rising cost of fun, with a New Year trip to the cinema much more expensive than last year.”
And Labour slammed the Government failing to prepare for Brexit labour shortages in the new year.
Boris Johnson has argued that there is “no alternative” to wage driven inflation rises, as the UK goes through a “transition” after leaving the EU.
As labour shortages began to bite in October, he said: “The UK has got to - and we can - do much, much better by becoming a higher-wage, higher-productivity economy.”
Labour’s analysis found that by 2026/27, the average household will pay £3,000 more tax than when Mr Johnson became Prime Minister.
Ms Powell said: “This winter will already be difficult for many, and the Government has a responsibility to make life easier for people.
“Instead of helping working people they are piling them with the biggest tax burden in 70 years.
“Labour would ease the burden over winter by temporarily scrapping VAT on domestic energy bills.”
