We‘re Skint; Young People’s Experience of the Cost of Living Crisis
The End Child Poverty Youth Ambassadors have researched, written and launched a report detailing the experience of 16 to 25 year olds in relation to the Cost of Living Crisis.
a copy of the Summary document
476 young people were asked about their thoughts and feelings in relation to the cost of living crisis. Data was collected between August and October 2022, and the report was published in November 2022.
Main findings from the report
As a result of the research the recommendations for decision makers are:
- Engagement: Ensure that the real-life experiences of 16-25 year olds, including those who are living in low income families, are heard, understood and acted upon by decision makers.
- Social security: Ensure that benefit payments consistently rise in line with inflation, and that young people aged under 25 receive the same amounts in benefit payments as those over 25 years old.
- Higher education: Ensure that students from poorer backgrounds are financially supported to go to university, and that no young person lives in poverty as a result of going to university. The government should introduce targeted cost of living support to help students get through this academic year. In the long term, the student maintenance package should be linked to inflation.
- Wages: Ensure that everyone is paid a real living wage, irrespective of their age. This is especially important for young people below 19 years old and those completing apprenticeships who may receive a wage significantly less than the real living wage.
- Bills: Ensure further targeted support to help young people pay their bills, including a continuation of the Energy Bills Support Scheme
- Housing: Ensuring the government are investing in social housing, ending no-fault evictions and developing schemes which help young people become home owners
