It is no secret that the cost of living crisis is still at the forefront of most of our minds: recently, rising rents over a third above inflation have meant families having to 'downgrade' and move to smaller homes; the price of baby formula has increased by 25% in the past two years, proving a challenge for many mothers and fathers across the country; and, while many sources distract us with the illusion that inflation is being solved, anyone with debt is still being hit by the Central Bank's rate of interest which is still over 5% and looks set to stay that way for well over a year which means affordability of goods is still low for many.

So what does this mean for us over the Christmas period?

At Christmas, we are all aware that a large portion of our money is spent towards presents, food, and many items that we would consider a luxury at other times of the year - this is done as Christmas is supposed to be a time of celebration and company. 

But, with high prices, comes potentially higher and more unsustainable debt and overall higher stress during the holiday period, and, for those who are unemployed or on benefits schemes, an unmanageable list of demands they are expected to meet due to Sunak's refusal to commit to increasing benefits in line with inflation. These persistent demands for families include purchasing presents the children set their hopes on and procuring all the food necessary to host a Christmas dinner.

To add insult to injury, claimants of benefits can also fall victim to the prevalent derogatory attitudes of the British public, with benefit stigma largely being attributed to the idea that many claimants are 'undeserving,' according to the organisation Turn2Us.*

Therefore, with thanks to the social and economic factors working against working class people, we can not and must not believe that this Christmas will be a normal one.

So what are we supposed to do with this in mind?

If you are financially secure, a good place to start would be helping others. For example, if you are aware of any close ones who are struggling financially, you could embrace the Christmas spirit of generosity and alleviate some of their problems by inviting them to spend the day with you. Or even better, you could use your time to help out at places directed at those with lower to no income such as food banks, and volunteer there in the build-up to Christmas Day.

While, this year, resources are limited, our generosity is not, so with the help of everyone we can help to remove financial stress from some and make this Christmas more positive.

 

*https://www.turn2us.org.uk/T2UWebsite/media/Documents/Benefits-Stigma-in-Britain.pdf