According to an official study released on Thursday, one in every six people in the United Kingdom is concerned about running out of food, and many more are unable to remain warm in their own houses, revealing a pervasive feeling of social and economic inadequacies.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 16% of people were concerned or very concerned about their food running out before they had the money to buy more. For 6% of the population, this is already a reality. 23% of people reported being unable to remain warm in their own houses on a regular or occasional basis.
While the rest of Europe is dealing with double-digit inflation and skyrocketing energy costs as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Britain has the continent’s oldest and least energy-efficient housing stock, with the government attempting to increase insulation during the last decade.
The ONS figures reflect considerable public unhappiness with the trajectory of one of the world’s greatest economies. Over the last decade, the demand for food banks has skyrocketed, and workers are increasingly going on strike.
According to Ipsos polling, 62% of the people believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 14% believe it is heading in the right direction – a problem for new Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who claims he is making harsh decisions to get the economy back on track. According to the opposition Labour Party, the difficulties are the result of policies made during the Conservatives’ 12 years in office.
The ONS said 78% of individuals were unhappy that Britain’s society was not as it should be, and 74% were scared that things might go wrong in society. The study, conducted between Nov. 22 and Dec. 4, contained 2,524 respondents.
