One In 7 Britons Skipping Meals In Cost Of Living Crisis,Says TUC

邵佳軒

One in seven people in the UK are skipping meals or going without food， according to new polling data released by the Trades Union Congress （TUC）.

The data from an MRP poll by Opinium reveals that more than half of British people are cutting back on heating， hot water and electricity in the cost of living squeeze， and one in 12 have missed the payment of a household bill.

With inflation running at 10%， the polling found that one in seven people are skipping meals but that rises to one in five people in nearly 50 constituencies across the country.

It reveals that Birmingham Ladywood is the constituency with the highest number of people going without food， at 29%， followed by Dundee West at 27%， Glasgow at 24% and Rhondda at 24%.

The proportion of people across the UK skipping meals is the same for people in and out of work at 14%， while about 44% say they are having to cut back on food spending.

The TUC says the findings on the cost of living are a“stark reminder”of the pressures facing households throughout the UK. It calls for the government to stick to plans to uprate universal credit， benefits and pensions in line with inflation， increase public sector pay in line with inflation， and raise the minimum wage to￡15 an hour as soon as possible.

It says the poll reveals that nearly seven in 10 people in the UK back raising the minimum wage to￡15 an hour.

Frances OGrady， the TUC general secretary， said：“This polling lays bare Britains cost of living emergency. Food and energy bills are soaring， but real wages are plummeting.

“Unless we get pay rising across the economy—and ensure benefits rise in line with inflation—we risk heading towards Victorian levels of poverty.

英國工會大會（TUC）發(fā)布的最新民調(diào)顯示，七分之一的英國人為了省錢而選擇少吃幾頓飯甚至不吃飯。

英國調(diào)查機構(gòu)Opinium公布的物資需求計劃民調(diào)數(shù)據(jù)顯示，隨著生活成本不斷上漲，超半數(shù)英國人削減了取暖、熱水和用電開支，每12人中就有一人負擔不起家庭開支。

在通貨膨脹率飆升至10%的情況下，民調(diào)發(fā)現(xiàn)，七分之一的人選擇少吃飯，但在全國近50個選區(qū)，這一比例達五分之一。

調(diào)查顯示，伯明翰萊迪伍德選區(qū)是節(jié)省食品支出人數(shù)最多的選區(qū)，達29%，其次是鄧迪西部選區(qū)，為27%，格拉斯哥選區(qū)為24%，朗達選區(qū)占24%。

英國各地為省錢選擇少吃飯的人與工作不穩(wěn)定的人比例相同，為14%，而大約44%的人表示他們不得不削減食品支出。

英國工會大會表示，關于生活成本的調(diào)查結(jié)果“無情地提醒”著我們，英國家庭正面臨巨大壓力。該組織呼吁政府堅持依據(jù)通脹率采取提高全民信貸、福利和養(yǎng)老金等政策，根據(jù)通貨膨脹調(diào)高公共部門工資，并盡快將最低工資提高到每小時15英鎊。

調(diào)查顯示，近70%的英國人支持將最低工資提高到每小時15英鎊。

英國工會大會秘書長弗朗西斯·奧格雷迪表示：“這項民意調(diào)查揭示了英國的生活成本危機。食品和能源價格飆升，但實際工資卻在暴跌?！?/p>

“除非我們提高全社會的工資，并確保福利與通脹同步增長，否則我們就有可能陷入維多利亞時代（1837年至1901年）的貧困水平?！?/p>