Britain's chareidi community hard hit by economic crunch
Inflation in the UK, fueled by soaring energy costs, is already at 10.1%, though higher living expenses for frum families means it is felt more acutely in the chareidi world.
“The amount we’ve had to award families turning to us for assistance has increased by 25% to 30% to meet the rising costs,” says one representative of a UK-based tzedakah organisation.
“People are trying to maximize their incomes because they simply can’t make ends meet, and I have to tell them that there are no more benefits that they can claim,” says Rabbi Avrohom Sugarman, welfare advisor at the Jewish Community Council of Gateshead, who’s being contacted by people with low incomes from across the UK.
“There are multiple grants and subsidies available, but not all of them are easy to access, and while they amount to £1,000 in total, it’s insignificant when energy bills are set to exceed £5,000,” says Bayla Perrin, CEO of the Paperweight Trust, which provides advocacy and assistance to households and individuals in financial and legal distress. “Already six in ten people are struggling to meet their payments.”
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