Read: Millions miss out on opportunity as destitution in the UK rises

As winter approaches and people are thinking about turning on their heating and eating more warming food, a stark reminder has been delivered that for millions of people in the UK, these things will simply not be an option.

This week the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published the fourth of its studies on destitution which reveals that approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around one million children. Numbers have risen sharply over the past three years, with almost two and a half times the number of people considered destitute compared to 2017, and nearly triple the number of children. The research also shows how the population of people experiencing destitution is changing, although there are some groups that continue to be disproportionately at risk.

Some of its findings are predictable but others are less expected. Almost two-thirds of people experiencing destitution reported having a chronic health problem or disability and the rate of destitution among black-led households was three times their population share. However, the overwhelming majority of people didn’t report complex needs such as homelessness, drug or alcohol problems or domestic violence. And while single people remain most at risk of destitution - almost three-fifths of the total – it was experienced by a growing number of families with children, particularly lone-parent households. Seventy-two per cent rented or, occasionally, owned their own home, a big rise since 2019 as destitution began to affect more social and private tenants than previously. London had the highest destitution levels in 2022, followed by the North East and North West.

While many of those who took part in the survey that informed the study had experienced persistent hardship, there was much more evidence of people experiencing a sudden deterioration in their economic circumstances as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic, compounded by the cost-of-living crisis. It was clear that problematic debt and falling behind with bills was a huge burden on a majority of people with 56 per cent of households surveyed citing it as a reason. Most common were housing related and utilities debts but there were also growing signs of consumer debt, mainly affecting those who had been in work relatively recently.

Destitution means that people struggle to afford to meet their most basic physical needs – being able to stay warm, dry, clean and fed. Their inability to do so significantly affects their physical and mental health and increases their social isolation which in turn puts more and more pressure on already overstretched services. It also means it’s almost impossible for them to access the sorts of opportunities that would help improve their life chances. Children who sleep on the floor because they have no bed or who go without breakfast are unlikely to be able to learn effectively at school. People who would like to apply for jobs are unlikely to have an appropriate outfit for an interview, or the money for their fare to get there. It contributes to a downward spiral of hardship and a huge waste of potential.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has put forward a number of recommendations, including a programme of government reforms to Universal Credit and the wider social security system, that it believes would better protect people from the impact of destitution. Its latest research has particularly highlighted that the gap between those in work and just about managing and those finding themselves destitute is narrowing, with increasing numbers at risk. 

Many organisations are already supporting those who need help, building on their experiences of addressing the challenges of Covid-19 and then of the on-going cost-of-living crisis to help their communities. The Purpose Coalition began working with many organisations during the pandemic and many of those are still delivering initiatives on the ground which are making a real difference, especially in the most disadvantaged communities. Food services company, Sodexo, for example, works with a number of charity partners including the Trussell Trust and FareShare on initiatives that aim to reduce food insecurity in the long-term.  

Earlier this year the Purpose Coalition set up a Cost-of-Living Taskforce with some of its most innovative members who are going above and beyond to help their customers, colleagues and communities with the rising cost-of-living, from great British institutions such as the Co-op and Virgin Money, to universities and local authorities across the country. It advocated moving away from quick fixes and towards boosting longer-term financial resilience, finding new ways to support people, not just through government initiatives but also in collaboration with businesses and private sector organisations. As part of that work, it published an Action Plan which set out a number of recommendations, including the introduction of a rainy-day savings scheme and a review into households’ energy security and resilience. It continues to work cross-party to share best practice and to promote innovative thinking on the issue. The coming winter is likely to highlight once again the urgent need for creative solutions if we are to ensure that the poorest people in our society do not continue to miss out on opportunity.