The rising cost of living crisis: our response
As a charity we are well placed to meet the needs of individuals impacted by economic and social change. Throughout the pandemic we saw a huge increase in need, helping more individuals annually than ever before. We're very aware that the need for help will only continue to increase over the next few months, as individuals struggle to pay for their basic bills. We are expecting this increase not only because many will struggle with the increases in energy and food, but also due to many people finding themselves without savings to pay for unexpected items such as a broken washing machine or clothes for a growing child.
Therefore, we are responding by being prepared to help as many people as we're able during this time through the needs on our website. We will be encouraging donors to give towards the individual requests on our website, but we are also running a specific appeal through Stewardship. You can read more about these at the end of this blog.
We are hoping that through our network of churches and local charities we will continue to be able to provide a valuable resource as they meet the ever-increasing need in their communities. We are getting daily requests for help, which tell the story of individuals who are being affected by the rising costs. Here are just a few examples:
R, a young mum to two small children, has come to us in desperate need of support for gas, electric and food. She is using a Foodbank on a daily basis, but is really struggling with anxiety and depression. R is trying her best to keep her head above water, but with the rising costs and being on a low income, she feels she is failing. If we could just give her some breathing space from the cost of living, to help with her mental well-being, this would be greatly appreciated.
M is currently being supported by the local Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre. She has made significant strides forward in managing her money and dealing with debt that has caused her to struggle for some time. However, with the cost of living rising she has found it really difficult to put any money away, leaving her stuck when needing to replace her fridge freezer.
This request is for a school uniform for a single parent who cares for two daughters and is a Kinship Carer with parental responsibility for her grandson. The cost of living crisis is hitting really hard as the children get older and the cost of their clothes increases. Her grandson is starting secondary school this September and she desperately wants to provide the uniform he needs, so he isn't different to his peers.
The good news is that Acts 435, alongside our fantastic supporters and donors can help to meet these specific needs of this grandmother and R and M! All individuals who are feeling 'stuck' and anxious. These three requests for help specifically mention the rising cost of living. However, we're aware that it is affecting most people in one way or another, meaning that all of the requests on our website will support an individual or a family who are struggling during this crisis.
As well as supporting our churches and local charities who partner with us we're also continuing to connect with our key partners who are also helping to tackle this emergency. In this way we hope to be able to help further during this crisis, and meet the needs of more individuals than ever before.
If you are able to give directly to an individual or family, please do take a look at all the needs posted on our website. However, we want to provide as much support as we can to individuals who are struggling with the rising cost of living, and particularly those who are immediately affected by the increase in fuel costs taking place in October. Therefore we have created a fundraiser with Stewardship and funds raised through this will go to the direct needs of individuals who are struggling with the rising cost of living, and especially those who find themselves in fuel poverty. Each family or individual will be someone known to be in need by our partner churches and charities. Initially they will go directly to meet the needs on our website. However, if funds exceed this we may seek to help other individuals who are known to our partners to be in need.
Give to an urgent need today!
The average time for a need to be fully funded is currently 9 days
£200 needed for specialist transport costs
This is for a very isolated gentleman who is disabled and largely housebound. His only social interaction is a weekly visit to a local cafe for a pensioner's lunch. However, he is often unable to fund the wheel chair accessible transport he requires to be able to make this outing, which is why he is requesting help towards transport costs to ensure he does not lose this vital social interaction, as we work on a longer-term solution. This funding would cover 6 weeks' worth of journeys.
£165 needed for a dining table and chairs
E and her 7 year old daughter became refugees in January 2025 and have moved between several temporary accommodations since arriving in the UK. They are currently living in temporary housing with very few furnishings. There is no table or chairs in their accommodation, so they eat all their meals on the floor. A dining table and chairs would provide a safe, comfortable place to eat together and give her daughter somewhere suitable to sit, study and complete schoolwork.
£150 needed for a SIM card top-up, food and travel
Mr S is a single client who has been in the UK for over 25 years. He suffers from severe health issues and was referred to us by a hospital. Unfortunately because of his immigration issues he is barred from accessing housing and welfare support, and he has been homeless for a while. This is having a detrimental impact on his health and his ability to engage with his immigration case. Mr S is destitute so this money for food will help to prevent the further deterioration of his health. The travel money is so he can attend appointments with his immigration adviser and at the hospital, and the mobile phone top up is so he can communicate with his GP and the other professionals involved with his care.
£200 needed for a van to move home
E needs help towards moving costs as she has got leukaemia and she is getting worse. Her support system and all of her family and help are in Lewes so she needs a van so she can move closer to them. But she cannot afford this herself. She has found a home swap which is in the process of going through. Please can you help with the moving costs? She will be very grateful.
£200 needed for a new electric cooker
A new electric cooker is needed for a family of parents with three young children, two with additional needs. The family relies on Dad's income and family benefits. The parents love and meet their children’s basic needs, and have accessed appropriate support services to address their financial debt and are working proactively to improve their situation. A replacement cooker would help the family to continue to provide a stable, nurturing and nutritious environment. Can you help this lovely family?
£200 needed for a new gas cooker
Both our client and their partner suffer from mental health issues. Our client has just spent two months in hospital with their mental health. Our client also suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from a previous abusive relationship and Fibromyalgia. This is a low income family on benefits. They have two children who both have special needs. One with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the other with Autism. Their old second hand gas cooker has been condemned by a Gas Safe engineer and needs replacing.
£150 needed for a monthly travel pass
J is destitute and has just moved into a short term hosting placement before she moves in Home Office accommodation pending an appeal on her asylum claim. She has recently been released from detention and is traumatised from it, and finds that travelling outside around London really helps with her mental health. She has very little to live on, so if she could buy a travel card, this would mean the little money she has doesn't all go on travel.
£200 needed for a bedroom carpet
This lady had an accident four years ago that left her requiring five operations to her legs/ankle, and is only now able to think about going back upstairs in her home. However, she has no carpets in her bedroom. She rents her property, unfurnished, so is responsible for all furnishings. She has also had struggles with her mental health which has left her unable to work. As Winter approaches, she would love to be able to be warm, safe and comfortable in her own room.
£120 needed for an emergency food shop
P struggles with significant health issues, including diabetes and poor vision. He has been struggling to make his limited Universal Credit stretch to pay for the essentials that he needs. P is currently unable to attend his local foodbank as he has dialysis appointments that clash with the opening hours. We are requesting some money for P to get a food shop. We are in the process of increasing P's income through Personal Independence Payment, so this voucher would be crucial in helping P until that is confirmed.