Children in Knowsley are worried the electricity ‘won’t actually come back on’ once the meter’s gone off as the borough braces for the cost of living crisis to deepen.
Other children are telling friends they soon won’t be able to play together on video games and some are asking “when do we get to protest all this?”
These are comments given by young people across the borough on the cost of living crisis, according to Knowsley Youth Service officer Lesley Dixon, who was speaking at a meeting of the borough’s health and wellbeing board today (September 29).
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Representatives from Knowsley’s public and community sectors met to discuss the impact and response to the impending “emergency” situation.
According to Brian Gouldson of Knowsley Citizens Advice, data from just before the pandemic found 16% of residents struggling with fuel poverty.
Mr Gouldson said that from referrals to Citizen Advice in the past 12 months, there were three times more people than before struggling to top up prepayment meters. He added that this was six times the figure from 2019.
Lesley Dixon from Knowsley Youth Service said: “I’ve spoken to the youth cabinet about this and young people are really concerned about the cost of living and how that affects them.
“Some things they spoke about was, and this is a quote, ‘I’m worried about if the electricity goes off it won’t actually come back on.’
“Some spoke about not being able to play computer games, another heard their brother talking to his friend that they might not be able to play again.
“Some asked when are they going to be able to protest about this.”
Mr Goulding spoke about a woman with disabilities who had visited Citizens Advice and was concerned about how she would cope with energy price rises come October.
He said: “It’s thrown her budget out the window”, adding she told him she didn’t know who to ask or where to go for support.
Cabinet member for health Cllr Christine Bannon said: “It frightens me to think there are people out there sitting at home now not knowing where to turn, who haven’t got access to a computer.”
She added: “Is there a way to get something out through the voluntary sector with numbers on so people can get the info they need?”
Rachel Jones of One Knowsley said a lesson learned from covid was the effectiveness of word of mouth.
Ms Jones said: “It’s almost ring a friend and pass it on, pass it on. It’s most effective and the crucial role of our sector in a period of crisis as we’re so well connected and rooted in communities to know and reach the most vulnerable.”
Executive director of children’s services, Julie Moss, said that ensuring practitioners could identify and reach out to those in need of support was also crucial.
Ms Moss said: “We think there’s going to be a number of families who don’t want to come forward for support for whatever reason.”
She added that steps were in place to “highlight” those families through the use of school-based social and family support workers who would be trying to identify those who might need help but not feel comfortable to ask for it.
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