Too many risk going without essentials like food, clothes and energy, unless cash support is bolstered when we exit national lockdown says the British Red Cross.
A new report finds information and support available to the most vulnerable dropped at the point where the national lockdown eased last year, even in areas that remained under the highest level of restrictions.
The Red Cross fears the chain reaction caused by an end to national lockdowns and the furlough payment being cut off in April this year will drive millions off a cliff edge – leaving them unable to recover from the impact of the pandemic on their finances and mental health.
The charity is calling for easy access to emergency cash support for those hit hardest by the pandemic.
Based on research conducted between October and December last year when tiered restrictions were in place, the Red Cross’s report, The Longest Year, says two groups have been hardest hit by the pandemic. The first is a ‘newly vulnerable’ group of people who have never needed help before and are struggling due to stigma and not knowing where to go for support. The second is a group of people who were struggling before the pandemic and are now ‘on the brink’, facing impossible choices between essentials like food, heating, or clothing for their children.
For both groups, a lack of clear information about the rules in their area, made problems worse and led many to put themselves into ‘self-imposed’ lockdown, limiting interactions with family and friends even when it was safe to see people, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Research conducted between October and December last year, shows that when tiered restrictions were in place more than half of adults in the North West (56%) find it hard to talk about their problems when so many people are having a difficult time.
Nearly half found it difficult to keep up to date with the latest coronavirus restrictions in their area and more than three quarters (76%) found it easier to limit how much they left home rather than try to keep up with changes to the restrictions.
36% were not confident about where to go to access financial support, despite 13 per cent saying that financial support for essential items such as food, clothes and toiletries would have been helpful to them under local restrictions.
Paul Etches, Emergency Response Operations Manager at the British Red Cross, says: “Local and national governments have the best intentions but too many people have fallen through the cracks.”
As Governments consider what will replace national lockdowns, The Red Cross calls for the UK government to give £250 million a year to local authorities in England to top up ‘local welfare assistance schemes’ – which provide emergency short-term cash for people whose circumstances change quickly as a result of the pandemic.
Governments across the UK should review and urgently improve access to self-isolation support payments, so it’s simpler to apply, especially for people on low incomes, or who would struggle to self-isolate without the payments.
Information about changes to restrictions to be made clearer with financial and emotional support promoted alongside every update.
Etches continues: “Our report shows the inextricable link between financial insecurity and mental health, and that the point at which someone faces hardship is a crucial moment to catch them before they fall into a more desperate situation.
“When you feel like your life is spinning out of control, having agency over the small things – like the cereal you buy or the ingredients for your dinner – makes all the difference. We need flexible and easy to access cash support to give people back their dignity, while also giving them the breathing room to get back on their feet.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we must develop a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be vulnerable and normalise asking for help – whether practical, emotional or financial.”
At the outset of the pandemic, the Red Cross set up a Hardship Fund which provides emergency cash support to people in vulnerable situations. Funded by Aviva and the Aviva Foundation, the Hardship Fund has, to date, given over £2.4 million to people in urgent need.
Individuals can’t refer themselves to the Hardship Fund – they are referred to it via a network of community-based referral partners. These include some local authorities, charities, and other groups working with vulnerable people.
The charity suggests local authorities adopt a similar model of cash grants, to help people buy basics like food and to make dignified decisions about the things they need.
The Red Cross also set up a free and confidential coronavirus support line on 0808 196 3651 for anyone who is lonely, worried or in need of practical or emotional support during the pandemic.
The charity is calling on governments to advertise services like this alongside changes to restrictions.
Amy, 29, was among those interviewed in the report who didn’t know where to turn for emotional support despite suffering regular panic attacks after nearly a year spent in lockdown.
Amy lives alone on the border of two areas near Greater Manchester. When the tiered system was first introduced, she became confused about whether to follow the rules for Manchester or those of the neighbouring area.
She decided to stick to what she has been doing since March rather than keep up with ‘unclear’ restrictions. She says the time spent alone has given her ‘too much time to overthink’ – making her anxiety and loneliness worse.
Amy tried to ask for help during the first national lockdown but wasn’t sure where to go. She hates phone calls and finds it hard to talk about her problems.
She said: “I was having a panic attack and I tried calling a support line because I wanted to vent and get things off my chest. I just wanted advice or someone to just distract me.
“I called it but remember chickening out when someone answered because wasn’t able to speak. Which is why I think live chat would be a lot better.”
