According to an extensive survey of more than 13,000 adults in the UK, the National Statistics Office (ONS) said that 83% saw an increase in the cost of living this month, up from 62% in November. As utility bills and weekly shopping became more expensive, the ONS said 34% of those who reported rising living costs said they used less gas and electricity at home, while 31% said they spent less on food. Half have reduced the unnecessary. ONS figures raise concerns that some of Britain’s poorest people are being forced to make difficult choices between heating and food. Russia’s Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Brodbent said on Wednesday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had dealt the biggest external blow to Britain’s economy. “From an economic point of view, in addition to the already very sharp rise in the cost of world commodities, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the invasion has led to significant increases in the cost of energy and other commodities. “As a large net importer of manufacturers and commodities, it is doubtful that the UK has ever experienced an external blow to real national income on this scale,” he said. Gas and electricity bills in households are expected to increase by 54% from Friday, with charities warning of a sharp rise in poverty levels without further government support for the poorest families. The average D-band council’s taxes in England are also expected to rise by £ 67 on Friday to almost £ 2,000 a year. The UK’s annual inflation rate reached 6.2% in February – the highest in three decades – amid rising energy costs, rising food and beverage prices and record gasoline prices. With household energy prices projected to rise from April, the Bank of England expects inflation to reach 8% this spring and has warned it could rise close to 10% later this year. Official forecasts show Britain is well on its way this year to the biggest annual blow to living standards since modern records began in 1956. Underlining the danger to hard-pressed families, the ONS said 29% of adults could not to afford an unexpected but necessary expense of 50 850. Those with the lowest incomes, tenants and those without formal qualifications were the most likely not to be able to afford such an unexpected expense. Parents of dependent children, those who are divorced or divorced, adults with disabilities and those living outside London and the south of England were also less likely to make it. Subscribe to the daily Business Today email or follow the Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk The government has announced a 9 9bn bailout package for tax cuts and loans, though Chancellor Rishi Sunak slammed his spring statement last week for prioritizing tax cuts over raising the value of universal credit. benefits despite the pressure to do more help low-income households. Frances O’Grady, the TUC’s secretary general, said the government urgently needed more support. “With energy bills expected to skyrocket by £ 700 next month and hundreds more in the fall, many households are facing the worst. “Ministers need to do a lot more to help people overcome this cost of living crisis. “The support that has been announced so far by the chancellor has been more than a slender worm.”
