Exploring Support for Cost of Living Concerns: Essex County Council Survey Findings
Essex County Council conducted an online survey to understand residents' struggles with the cost of living. The survey received 883 responses, with respondents highlighting the need for practical support such as home energy saving packs and emergency food packages. Suggestions from residents included making homes more energy-efficient and community initiatives. The report emphasizes the importance of immediate assistance and further engagement opportunities.
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Cost of living survey report Key findings report October 2022 Research & Citizen Insight Chief Executive s Office
Essex County Council is looking at how best to support residents with cost of living concerns. Background We know that people are struggling with the cost of living. We wanted to explore interest around what practical things we could do to help over the coming months, and also invite residents to share their own ideas. We launched an online survey which ran from 5th September to 2nd October 2022. The survey was promoted on the ECC website homepage, via the Your Essex newsletter, across our social media platforms, and boosted by a paid advert targeting groups where uptake was lower. 883 responses were received. This report shares key findings from the survey. 19/07/2024 | 2 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
Executive Summary The survey received a total of 883 responses. Respondents suggested that more practical/immediate types of help and support were most important. This includes items to help stay warm this winter, home energy saving packs, and emergency food packages. 1 Of the types of support that respondents said they woulduse,the top responses were a home energy saving pack, items to help stay warm, and tried and tested top tips for making your money go further. 2 Suggestions for help and support from residents included help to make homes more energy efficient, reduced council tax/council tax breaks, and community initiatives (such as via libraries, cafes and churches to offer meals, food banks, activities, warm spaces, and welfare check schemes). 3 4 37% expressed interest in taking part in further engagement. 19/07/2024 | 3 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
Respondent overview Who gave their views?
Survey respondents The survey received a total of 883 responses. 76% of respondents were female and 20% were male. The remainder did not specify. 14% of respondents were from Chelmsford, followed by Maldon (12%) and Harlow (11%). 16% 14% Age of respondents: The largest groups of respondents were aged 45-54 and 55-64 (23%), followed by 65+ (22%). 14% 12% 11% 12% 10% 9% 8% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 6% 5% 6% 4% 2% 1% 1% 2% 25% 1% 23% 23% 22% 0% 19% 20% 15% Employment status of respondents: 57% - employed (40% full-time and 17% part-time) 25% - retired 5% - self-employed 3% - unemployed 18+ months 2% - employed on flexible/zero hours contract 10% 10% 5% 2% 1% 8% - other (includes carers and those not working due to disability) 0% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Prefer not to say Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office 19/07/2024 | 5
What would help? Respondents were asked to rank ideas that might help them in order of importance. The top rated ideas were for more practical types of help and support, with tips and advice scoring lower in order of importance. High 1 Items to help stay warm this winter (e.g. blankets, hot water bottles, draft excluders) 2 Energy saving pack for your home (e.g. water saving shower head, shower flow restrictor, radiator reflector) 3 Emergency food packages Being able to access public buildings that provide warm & safe space for children and young people to take part in free weekend and holiday activities 4 Being able to access public buildings for a warm & safe space for adults/parents to take part in free weekend and evening activities 5 6 Tried and tested top tips for making your money go further 7 Free cooking on a budget course Information, advice and guidance that will increase your employment/skills/financial planning knowledge 8 Low 19/07/2024 | 7 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
What would help? Respondents were asked to tick which of the ideas they would USE if made available (they could tick as many ideas as they liked). The top ideas respondents said they would use were a home energy saving pack, followed by items to help stay warm this winter, and tried and tested top tips for making your money go further. Energy saving pack for your home (e.g. water saving shower head, shower flow restrictor, radiator reflector) 72% Items to help stay warm this winter (e.g. blankets, hot water bottles, draft excluders) 63% Tried and tested top tips for making your money go further 47% Emergency food packages 37% Free cooking on a budget course 35% Being able to access public buildings that provide warm & safe space for adults/parents to take part in free weekend and evening activities 31% Being able to access public buildings for a warm & safe space for children and young people to take part in free weekend and holiday activities 24% Information, advice and guidance that will increase your employment/skills/financial planning knowledge 22% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 19/07/2024 | 8 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
Residents own ideas for help and support that would make a difference A total of 411 comments were received, and have been themed in order of prevalence. Please note that some comments are coded into multiple themes. Comments by theme No. of comments Help & support to make homes more energy efficient (e.g. free/subsidised home insulation, greener energy sources, financial support for repairs) 80 74 Reduce council tax/council tax break/pause/don t increase council tax Community initiatives (e.g. via libraries, cafes, churches offering meals, food banks, activities, warm spaces, welfare checks) 49 Help with food costs/access to sufficient food (including shopping vouchers, emergency food parcels, help with preparing meals on a budget) 48 43 Direct financial support (particularly those on lower incomes who miss out on government support) Help with fuel/mileage costs/reduced public transport costs/reduced parking costs 43 Help to keep warm (warm spaces, clothing, provision of electric radiators/electric blankets etc) 38 Access to information, advice and guidance/helpline to get support 31 General concern around increasing cost of living 30 Pay rise/increased job opportunities (including part time)/childcare support to enable increased access to employment 22 Help with paying energy bills 19 Free school meals for children/financial help with school costs (e.g. uniforms, school transport) 17 General negative comment 16 Government intervention/lobbying/intervention with energy providers 13 Financial support for home workers to offset increased energy bills/hubs for home workers across Essex 13 Activities for children and young people 10 More affordable housing/caps on rent 9 General supportive comment 2 19/07/2024 | 9 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
Residents own ideas for help and support that would make a difference A selection of comments: Financial help. By the time I have paid my rent and council tax and a few other monthly bills I have very little and some months nothing left for food, I survive on free out of date bread donated by the coop to a local school and I can help myself to a loaf. I purchase the cheapest jar of jam 40p in Lidl once a month and that s my meals for the month washed down with tap water. Help with home insulation. Subsidised solar panels. Subsidised replacement double/ triple glazing. Free vegetable seeds/plants to grow at home. Low energy bulbs given to low income families. Microwave ovens/slow cookers given to low income families. Welfare calls to older residents. Community supermarkets with low cost food. Lowering council tax, so there is more money to use on everyday essentials for all not just for Universal Credit/OAP. People need money towards electricity and gas, even if it is just in voucher form, I am on a key meter and have 3 kids at home, my heating is electricity and I genuinely fear I won't be able to keep the power on all winter. Helping charities that already help to reach as many people as they can. Free activities over school holidays. Also a coat rack as there was outside Chelmsford Library pre covid where people who have coats can drop them off, and people who need them can take them. Better access to public funded transport. This will encourage people to get out of their cars, stay warm at work and reduce the costs to them to get to work and school. Coffee and chat (free) in community centres for adults and children with activities for both to take part in and make new friends (and stay warm). Encourage more employers to offer flexi hours/job shares roles. I have found it difficult to gain part time work (particularly as I am single mum with no near family support.) Review the free school meal criteria. I m an ECC employee, a single parent household and earn 16500. I am 200 over the household income threshold and on working tax credit so not eligible but the cost of feeding two children is a massive cost. 2.40 per school meal. I no longer eat during the day and just eat with them on an evening . Energy workshops - gathering people in a place and offering a warm drink to talk about energy efficiency, how to warm a home on a budget, discuss food on a budget, and to provide essential advice. Free school meals for all children during the winter months so all children get a hot meal once a day. I work full time and already can t do food shopping because the fuel I use to get to work is so expensive now and with the rising costs of all shopping and electricity and gas, my wages are 80% gone before I get to the shops to buy food. Make funds available for people working from home whose utility winter bills will be even higher. Consider ideas that are less about treating people like they don t know how to live or budget and provide more practical support. Providing tips and information is not making any real difference to my cost of living, I can read that online already in many places Spend the money on practical things to help and free activities that actually help save people money. Those in full time employment, earning a good salary but living alone and renting are struggling. We don t get any help and end up worse off than those who are entitled to benefits. Some kind of help specifically aimed at this section of the community would help massively.
Further engagement Respondents were asked if they were interested in taking part in further engagement on this subject. 37% (324 respondents) said they were interested, with 305 providing their contact details. 19/07/2024 | 11 Produced by Essex County Council Chief Exec s Office
This information is issued by: Essex County Council Research & Citizen Insight Sign up to Keep Me Posted email updates: Essex.gov.uk/keepmeposted Essex_CC Facebook.com/essexcountycouncil Contact us: research@essex.gov.uk The information contained in this document can be translated, and/or made available in alternative formats, on request. County Hall Market Road Chelmsford CM1 1QH Published October 2022.
