Increasing numbers of people in Wales are cutting back on essentials to meet housing costs, new research has revealed.
A survey for Shelter Cymru carried out by YouGov, which questioned more than 1000 Welsh adults about their housing and financial situation, uncovered some alarming findings.
Twenty one per cent of respondents responsible for rent or mortgage payments said that they had reduced the amount they spend on heating to meet rent or mortgage payments in the last 2 years, up from 14 per cent the previous year, while 28 per cent said that they spent less on food because of rent and mortgage costs, up from 23 per cent in 2010.
Fifty five per cent of respondents who pay rent or mortgage said that they struggled at least some of the time with payments, compared to 49 per cent in 2010.
The survey also showed that:
- Just over a fifth (21%) of those responsible for mortgage or rent costs said they had increased their use of credits cards or loans to meet day to day expenses
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of all Welsh adults said that paying the rent or mortgage were a source of anxiety in their households, rising to 30% of 18-34 year olds and 35% of 35-44 year olds
- Nineteen per cent said that changes to housing and welfare benefits were a source of anxiety in their households, rising to 29% of those aged 45-54 and 56% of those who were unemployed or not working
- Of 18-34 year olds, a fifth had reduced spending on heating and 30% had reduced spending on food to meet rent or mortgage payments in the last two years
- Among those aged 55+, more than a quarter (26%) had cut the amount the spend on heating and 29% had cut their spending on food to meet rent or mortgage payments in the last 2 years
The research is published as thousands of public sector workers are due to strike over cuts to public spending, pay and pensions.
Director of Shelter Cymru John Puzey said: “These are very disturbing findings and clearly show that a lot of people from all sectors are finding it increasingly difficult to manage the costs of day-to-day living.
“It is one thing to tighten our belts and forego a few luxuries when money is short, but it is quite another thing altogether for people to have to cut back on essentials such as food and heating in order to pay the rent or mortgage.”
Speaking ahead of the charity’s annual conference in Swansea, Mr Puzey said that further changes to welfare benefits, greater pressure on the job market and wages that for many fail to keep pace with the rising cost of living could only exacerbate this situation.
“The challenges facing us are immense and given that the public spending cuts are something over which we in Wales have very little control, we need to be imaginative in how we mitigate the worst effects and address the core problem of the shortage of affordable homes,” he said.
“We want to ensure that the provision of independent advice services is protected so that people in difficulties can get help before they reach crisis point. We know that this would also be cost-effective as research has shown that the right advice can save £10 for every pound invested.
“In the end, a decent, secure home should be a fundamental right for everyone in Wales, so the provision of affordable housing needs to be recognised as an essential factor in the health, well-being and prosperity of our people and communities.”
