More than 2.4 million adults in the UK cannot read whatsoever, and millions more are thought to have very low levels of literacy. This means that for roughly one in six Brits, when that big energy bill lands on their doormat, they will struggle to understand why they have received it, or what help they can receive.
Many will have already received part of the government's one-off cost of living payment, but with no ability to read a council letter, or even search the internet to find out what help there is, people with poor literacy skills could be excluded from that same safety net.
In a bid to tackle this, the literacy charity Read Easy UK has launched the campaign "2.4 NO MORE" for International Literacy Day, to highlight this information inequality within our society and help people access essential financial advice, which the charity says is a "fundamental human right."
The issue of adult literacy in the UK was brought to the fore in January when Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades revealed that he had learned to read at the age of 51, with the help of the Read Easy charity. For many adults living with poor literacy skills, the biggest hurdle to accessing information can be a sense of shame.
The literacy charity's CEO Carla Priddon called adult literacy issues a "hidden" problem in the cost of living crisis
"It is a hidden problem. Adults who can't read are more likely to be in low-paying jobs or unemployed, meaning that they're at a higher risk of going into arrears and not understanding what is going on.
"They might struggle to read their bill, or access the advice given by Martin lewis or the Government. Even if they are eligible for that help, how do they get that information? Even if you can hear it, where do you then go? How do you then access that information? That's my worry.
"If people then receive letters, it can be quite easy for that to spiral. If you can't read it, how are you going to rectify it?
"Reading equity should be available to everyone, and the current cost of living crisis just highlights this inequality."
Beyond the current crises, CEO Priddon says teaching people to read is relatively cheap, cost-effective and empowers people to change their own lives. She continued: "We see our role as giving people a chance. The feedback we get is that we have changed their lives. It's not just being able to read things, it's being confident, it's not having to rely on people, it's being able to read a menu.
"We hear from people who have completely new jobs, they've learned to read and they became so much more aware of what is out there for them."
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35-year-old full-time mum and author of 'My Dyslexic Journey', Sarah Todd, left secondary school unable to read after missing out on crucial primary literacy due to poor health. As an adult, illiteracy made working life a struggle for Sarah, but a burning desire to read to her children put her on the path to literacy.
Speaking to the Mirror, Sarah said that living with illiteracy can be embarrassing, difficult, and demeaning, which makes seeking help all the harder: "When you live in a world of dark clouds and closed doors, it can feel like your only option is to give up.
"The struggle is understanding where to get the help from, all the while dreading that they will embarrass you, and hoping that the numbers in your bank balance don't change too quickly - because you won't know what to do.
"Then if you fall into debt, you're just lost. It's hard to know what you're agreeing to and, when you ask, they will use all the big jargon and the spiel but they won't go into any explanation or help.
"Reading documents and understanding how the world worked was a real struggle for me - I couldn’t see I had missed deadlines or pay bills on time. Thankfully, I understand a bit more about everything now and I have a partner who understands and helps me.
"When you learn to read, it is like someone has opened the door and said 'we all feel the same way, you are not on your own."
Read Easy UK is a free-to-use charity for adults struggling with literacy that pairs reading coaches across England with any adult who wants to learn to read. The course involves two 20-minute sessions per week, and typically takes 18 months to complete.
If you know someone who struggles with literacy, Sarah advises that you speak to them normally and ask how you can help, or to direct them to their local Citizen's Advice, GP, library, or town hall - all of which will be able to help them access the right information.
