The cost of living crisis is a situation in which the cost of basic, essential items such as food and energy bills have increased rapidly in a short period of time, and much faster than average household wages.
This means that millions of people in the UK suddenly find themselves struggling to pay for basic items such as gas and electricity, rent, fuel for the car and food because these are a lot more expensive in Autumn 2022 than they were before, while most people’s wages have not increased anywhere near as quickly.
This means it is a worrying time for most of us in Sandwell and the rest of the UK but there is support available for you.
Downloading the MySandwell app is an important place to start as this gives you access to many of the support options.
If you are having problems paying bills, it is really important that you speak to that provider. The more you speak to them and are honest with them, the more support they can give you. You can find other support options on the Sandwell Council website.
Warm Spaces have been created across Sandwell and beyond to offer everyone a place where they can go, be warm and meet others. This will help you keep costs down within your own homes. We have more being made available all the time but to find out more about what a warm space is and where they are, visit the Sandwell Council website.
Looking after your physical and mental health are always really important. You can read some top tips or explore our website for more ways that we can support you.
We are determined to Support Sandwell through this time and come out of it together feeling stronger as a community.