London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 04, 2025

Demand for crisis support soars even in wealthy UK towns

Demand for crisis support soars even in wealthy UK towns

Citizens Advice in affluent Wokingham says requests for help have nearly doubled in a year
A growing number of people in one of the most affluent areas of the country are struggling financially because of a huge spike in energy bills and the soaring cost of living, according to the chief executive of Wokingham Citizens Advice.

Many people who have been “just about managing” are now slipping into poverty and debt in Berkshire, said Jake Morrison, making him fearful for poorer regions throughout the country.

“Wokingham is one of the least deprived areas in England. It just is,” he said. “In normal times we might refer a handful of people to the food bank a week – now we are doing that in half a day.”

Morrison, who wrote on Facebook about the steep rise in demand for the service, noted that while in August 2021 his branch of the charity helped 643 people, this August they have already helped 956 people – a 48% increase.

In the whole of 2021, Citizens Advice helped 135,572 people with crisis support, but is projecting that it will help 212,966 people by the end of this year – a 57% increase.

Morgan Wild, the head of policy at Citizens Advice, said the charity was helping two people every minute with crisis support, with numbers continuing to head “in the wrong direction”.

“On a daily basis, our advisers are raising red flags about the situations people are facing: people who are terminally ill and unable to heat their homes; parents going days without food to feed their kids; and people unable to afford the bus fare to get to a food or school uniform bank.

“We need government support that matches the scale of this crisis. That means a financial lifeline for those who need it and better protections when people can’t afford their bills.”

An increase in the number of people from normally affluent areas could affect the stance of the future Conservative leader, with MPs already concerned that the party has not been sufficiently active on the issue.

The Conservative leadership frontrunner, Liz Truss, when asked about the impact of the cost of living crisis said she did not agree with “portents of doom”, and has rejected “handouts” as a way of helping people affected by the cost of living crisis, although in recent days advisers have suggested she was “ruling nothing out”.

Of the people contacting the Citizens Advice in Wokingham, 55.8% said they had reached out for help as a result of increased bills and the cost of living.

Morrison urged people to reach out for help even if they had never needed help previously, but said he worried that staff would be unable to answer calls as quickly if demand continued to grow exponentially. “As that demand increases, those people who are feeling validated by just being heard, might not even get that because the demand is going to be too high for us to have those conversations,” he said.

Charities were also having to contend with a crisis on the back of a crisis, he added – with many having already depleted rainy-day funds during the pandemic. “The money that was tucked away by charities and fundraisers to give away, it’s gone,” he said. “And that’s what’s really scary.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×