Cost of Living Report: August 2022

NLCBF have published a report about the impact that the cost of living is already having on care experienced young people.  The report includes the views of members of care experienced young people, leaving care practitioners and  managers.

Main Findings: 

• The Cost of Living crisis is already having a significant impact on financial wellbeing, ability to secure and maintain tenancies; mental health; connectedness & aspirations of care experienced young people.
• Current levels of benefits are insufficient for care experienced young people to pay bills and purchase essential items, additional support is required.
• We can assume that the majority of care experienced young people are now in ongoing financial difficulty.  Crisis support is no longer sufficient & having to access does not support positive self esteem and dignity.  We need long term solutions which increase income or reduce outgoings and offer peace of mind and financial security.

Our Recommendations: 

1. Universal Credit – Make all care leavers eligible for the over 25 Rate Universal Credit from the age of 18, recognising that they are financially independent and often managing household bills
2. Universal Discounts – Reduce outgoings for young people leaving care through universal discounts to travel and utility bills, in line with corporate parenting.
3. Educational Bursary – Introduce an educational bursary for care experienced young people aged 18+ in Further education to support living costs & affordability of continuing in education.
4. Household Support Fund – All Local Authorities to ringfence part of their Household Support fund for care experienced young people & national government to issue guidance to support this. This recommendation would require no further investment than already announced and could be actioned immediately.

Read the Report: Cost of Living report August 2022 full

Please do share the report.

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone from the Young People’s Benchmarking Forum and leaving care professionals who contributed their views and experiences to make this report possible.