“It will be terrible”: the crisis threatens to leave the British without Christmas dinner

“Waking signal – poverty is increasingly permeating our communities”

With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, two-thirds of UK adults worry they won’t be able to afford Christmas dinner. Rising costs and stagnant wages have left many Britons facing a difficult holiday season.

According to a survey, two-thirds of British adults are worried they won’t be able to afford Christmas dinner, according to Sky News.

Based on a survey commissioned by The Salvation Army, the cost of Christmas dinner is £7.50 per person, but as food prices continue to rise, the cost has increased since the survey was conducted on 22 October.

Anxiety reigns more among people aged 65 years and older – 81% – and residents of the East of England – 80%.

About 16% of Britons plan to use food banks for groceries, and 38% are likely to miss a meal if they have an unexpected expense, such as a broken boiler.

Salvation Army Lieutenant Colonel Dean Pallant says: “Christmas should be a time of joy, not sadness. If so many people are worried that they can’t even afford one of the most important meals of the year, it’s a wake-up call that poverty is increasingly permeating our communities.”

The poll also showed that 14% of Britons can’t afford to buy their children a present this Christmas, and 18% expect to spend time in a building that can be visited for free just to keep warm.

Lieutenant Colonel Pallant said the measures announced in the autumn statement show that the UK government is trying to help, but “its ability to stem the rise in poverty has been dangerously reduced by rising inflation and an overall bleak economic outlook.”

He continued: “We expect this Christmas to be one of the busiest of our lives and we are distributing as many food parcels as possible to those in dire need and preparing a Christmas dinner for isolated seniors. And our current message is giving gifts to children who would otherwise have nothing to open at Christmas. We are also offering warm space in many of our buildings to people who can’t afford to heat their homes, and will support those with housing issues so they don’t have to spend a cold Christmas outside.”

In October, data from the Office for National Statistics showed that almost half of the UK adult population was having difficulty paying their electricity bills, rent or mortgage payments.

This is happening against the backdrop of higher taxes and inflation that is rapidly outstripping wages.

As a 64-year-old grandfather and volunteer from Middlesbrough named John told the researchers during the interview: “I usually go to my relatives for Christmas dinner, but they can’t afford to invite me this year, so I’ll stay at home. I’m going to treat it like a normal day and eat sandwiches for lunch as I’m afraid it will cost too much to buy food and prepare it. It’s going to be a terrible Christmas for me.”

A British government spokesman said: “We understand that people are struggling with rising prices, which is why we are protecting millions of the most vulnerable households with our £37 billion support package, including at least £1,200 in direct payments and savings to households on average in the amount of 37 billion pounds. £900 on their electricity bill this winter, in addition to £150 extra support for the disabled and £300 per family for retirees. Vulnerable families in England are receiving support from the government’s Household Support Fund, which has been boosted by £500 million to help pay for basic necessities.”