The cost of living: the impact on Hertfordshire residents
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Healthwatch Hertfordshire report on issues they heard in a survey about the cost of living. The survey was launched in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council. They heard from 7,043 people.
In Hertfordshire, nine out of ten people have been affected by rising costs, with four in ten respondents having either just enough or not enough money to afford basic necessities.
80 percent have used less heating, 63 percent have been going out less, and 61 percent have reduced the amount of food they eat or bought cheaper types of food.
Increase in the cost of living is not affecting Hertfordshire residents equally. People aged 18-34 are more likely to be struggling to cope than those over the age of 75, and were twice as likely to have used a food bank.
Respondents from an Asian or black ethnic background were more likely to be impacted by rising costs, with black respondents being twice more likely to not have enough money for basic necessities.
Disabled people and people with a long-term conditions were also affected by rising costs more than the average, with disabled people being twice more likely to not have enough money for basic necessities.