New research from The Trussell Trust suggests that four in 10 people claiming Universal Credit skipped meals over the summer to keep up with rising costs. The survey of 1,846 adults across the country conducted by YouGov on behalf of the charity also found that 41 per cent of people claiming the benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) went without meals over the past three months.
Worryingly, some 38 per cent of respondents said they had gone a whole day without eating, or just had one meal, in the last month because they could not afford to buy enough food. YouGov found that a fifth (21%) of those who took part in the survey were unable to cook hot food this summer as they could not afford to use the cooker.
A further 23 per cent said they were unable to travel to work or essential appointments because they could not afford the cost of public transport or fuel.
