{"id":531645,"date":"2026-04-15T05:47:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/531645\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T05:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:47:10","slug":"almost-a-third-of-brits-cutting-back-on-food-and-heating-amid-price-rises-and-financial-pressures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/531645\/","title":{"rendered":"Almost a third of Brits cutting back on food and heating amid price rises and financial pressures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n

Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n

A new survey has revealed how the majority of Britons are grappling with significant financial anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Two-thirds (66 per cent) are concerned about their economic prospects <\/a>in the coming months, while early a third (31 per cent) have already resorted to cutting back on essentials such as food<\/a> and heating<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The research, commissioned by TSB and Lightning Reach, a platform connecting individuals with financial support, indicates a worsening situation for many. <\/p>\n

Almost two-fifths (38 per cent) reported their finances had deteriorated since this time last year. <\/p>\n

To manage daily costs, a quarter (25 per cent) have depleted their savings, and 16 per cent have borrowed from family or friends.<\/p>\n

More than half (51 per cent) of those surveyed are in debt, with 42 per cent of this group experiencing an increase in their debt burden. <\/p>\n

\"AlmostAlmost two-fifths (38 per cent) reported their finances had deteriorated since this time last year (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

A concerning 12 per cent find their debt increasingly difficult to manage, and 6 per cent have fallen behind on payments.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, over a third (34 per cent) are actively shopping around for better deals to alleviate financial pressure, and a quarter (25 per cent) expressed discomfort in seeking financial support, even if their situation warranted it. <\/p>\n

\"Trading<\/p>\n

Get a free fractional share worth up to \u00a3100.
Capital at risk.<\/p>\n

Terms and conditions apply.<\/p>\n

Go to website<\/a><\/p>\n

ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

\"Trading<\/p>\n

Get a free fractional share worth up to \u00a3100.
Capital at risk.<\/p>\n

Terms and conditions apply.<\/p>\n

Go to website<\/a><\/p>\n

ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is also contributing to the strain, driving up prices and mortgage rates for households.<\/p>\n

Ren Yi Hooi, founder and chief executive of Lightning Reach, said: \u201cThere\u2019s much more support out there than people realise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keely Newman, head of vulnerable customers, TSB, said: \u201cIf you find yourself in need of support, we\u2019d encourage households to check their eligibility for a grant, and contact your bank or a charity for advice and debt management.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vikki Brownridge, chief executive at StepChange Debt Charity, said: \u201cUncertainty around household finances is rising, adding to several years of cost-of-living pressures that haven\u2019t gone away.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly intervention can make a real difference for people struggling with debt, and it\u2019s vital that people know where to access support. In fact, 85% of StepChange clients say they would have sought help sooner if they could go back in time.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor anyone struggling with debt, it\u2019s important to speak to your creditors, who can offer tailored support and guidance. Free, impartial, and non-judgmental debt advice is also always available from charities like StepChange.\u201d<\/p>\n

Censuswide surveyed 2,000 people across the UK in April.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":531646,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[84,1294,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-531645","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/531645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=531645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/531645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/531646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=531645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=531645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=531645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}