Survey results show that families across Wales are struggling to make ends meet following Covid and the cost of living crisis.
More than one in eight people (13 per cent) across Wales reported that they had struggled to afford the essentials as think tank suggests that financial hardship has become the “new normal”.
The “new normal” also sees more than 31 per cent of people went without heating in their home.
“It is imperative that poverty remains a key item on everyone’s agenda, and that we take action now to reverse the impact of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis on Welsh communities,” said Dr Victoria Winckler, the Bevan Foundation’s Director.
“We simply cannot let the levels of poverty and financial hardship outlined in our latest data to become the new normal in Wales.”
The survey was conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Bevan Foundation. 1,029 adults in Wales were surveyed.
The impact of poverty is seen in the next generation as 40 per cent of parents of a child under 18 going without heating in their home. Moreover, a total of 22 per cent reported that their child had not had their birthday party because of financial situtation.
The warming of “new normal” of poverty comes as more than half of the people (57 per cent) reported that they thought that living standards would worsen for people in Wales.
“Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, people going hungry or going cold has become normalised in many Welsh communities. The impact of this has been devastating,” said Dr Steffan Evans, Head of Policy (Poverty) at Bevan Foundation.
The cost of living has risen in the UK since 2022. As of January 2024, the inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages stood at 7%.
Due to the prolonged effect of living costs, 170 councils have urged the Jeremy Hunt to extend the Household Support Fund, which is due to expire at the end of this month.
But instead, the UK government has pledged further austerity and further cuts to council budgets, a move repeated by Welsh Government and accepted with little resistance by council leaders across Wales.
The report by Bevan Foundation warms that: “With a UK General Election expected later this year, and new First Minister set to be in post within weeks, it is vital that poverty remains a key issue on the political agenda.”
