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New research reveals how poor struggle to keep warm through winter, as charity hosts celebrity clothing auction to raise vital funds

3 February 2012

A new survey commissioned by Elizabeth Finn Care, a national charity that supports individuals in financial need, reveals the struggles that people on low incomes face particularly during the winter months. The results are released as Elizabeth Finn Care’s Wrap Up Against Poverty campaign – an online auction of celebrity and designer winter clothing to raise money for people in financial need in the UK – gets underway.

The survey has found that, due to their financial situation, a third (33%) of people on low incomes* have not been able to buy essential new clothing before, and almost a quarter (24%) are concerned they will not be able to afford clothing for themselves and their families this year. Of those parents surveyed, nearly two-fifths (37%) have had to go without new clothing for themselves so they could afford to provide it for their children.

The research also uncovers some of the emotional and physical effects on those who lack adequate clothing for the winter, with one in nine (11%) reporting they have been forced to stay at home on cold days before, one in seven (14%) experiencing illness or physical pain and nearly one in six (17%) admitting they have been worried or unhappy as a result.

These findings are particularly worrying in the context of steadily rising food and fuel bills, which are forcing people to make tough decisions. Due to their financial situation, almost a quarter (23%) have had to skip meals and shockingly, one in three (33%) said they were concerned that this year would see them forced in to choosing between ‘heating and eating’. Many have taken drastic measures to keep fuel costs down, with over half (53%) only turning on the heating when they really had to before, nearly a fifth (18%) keeping one room heated at a time and almost a third (30%) wearing clothes to bed in the past.

Sadly, the research also exposes that one in four (25%) are concerned that they may need help financially for their situation but are unsure of where to turn. Elizabeth Finn Care is hosting its Wrap Up Against Poverty online auction to raise awareness of these realities and funds to help.

Malcolm Tyndall, Director at Elizabeth Finn Care said: “When the colder weather sets in, we see a rise in the number of people coming to us for financial assistance with fuel bills and warm clothing. In fact, over half of the people we support say they were forced to go without essential new clothes before receiving help from us. We hope that through our Wrap Up Against Poverty campaign, we can help even more people through the winter.”

Newsreader and presenter Angela Rippon, who is supporting the campaign, said: “Living in an affluent society, as we do, I am shocked and appalled that people in the UK have to make do with insufficient warm clothing or choose between eating and heating their homes. The Wrap Up Against Poverty auction is offering some fantastic items enabling the public to directly help others whilst gaining something lovely for themselves. It’s a privilege to be able to play a part in raising both awareness and funds for the campaign.”

The Wrap Up Against Poverty auction is now live on eBay and is running until 26th February. The auction features winter clothing and accessories donated by a number of celebrities including Sienna Miller, Dame Helen Mirren, Fern Britton and Sir Richard Branson plus designers and high street brands. For more information, please visit www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk/wrapup. The Wrap Up Against Poverty campaign video, narrated by Angela Rippon can viewed at http://youtu.be/b6rtHLIl7Bs

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For more information, interviews and case studies, please contact:
Emma Lamberton, Press Officer. Telephone: 0208 834 9259. Email: emma.lamberton@elizabethfinn.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 510 adults with household incomes of less than £20,000 from an initial nationally representative sample of 2164 UK adults (aged 18+). Fieldwork was undertaken 21st-23rd December 2011. The survey was carried out online
• *Low incomes refers to people with household incomes of less than £20,000

Elizabeth Finn Care

• Elizabeth Finn Care is a national charity that helps people in financial need to improve their lives
• Elizabeth Finn Care gives direct financial support to people from over 120 occupational backgrounds, and through Turn2us helps millions more people in the UK to access the money available to them in welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help
• Turn2us is part of Elizabeth Finn Care, a charity registered in England and Wales: 207812 and Scotland: SCO40987
• Since being founded in 1897, Elizabeth Finn Care has given away over £130m in direct financial assistance to people in need. In 2009/2010 over 3,500 British and Irish citizens received grants totalling almost £4m from Elizabeth Finn Care.

Turn2us

• 13.5 million people in the UK live below the poverty line (source - Households Below Average Income: An analysis of the income distribution 1994/95-2007/08). Yet latest annual figures show that around 16.8 billion of welfare benefits go unclaimed and there are also over 3,000 charitable funds available which distribute grants worth over £366 million a year
• Turn2us helps people to access to the money available to them in welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help
• The Turn2us free, confidential online service - www.turn2us.org.uk is designed to help individuals quickly and easily find welfare benefits, tax credits or charitable grants available to them - all in one place. The site has a number of tools to make the process simpler, including a benefits checker, grants search and ‘find an adviser’ tool to help locate someone to speak to. Over 3,000 charitable funds are listed on the website and people can apply online to many of the charities for help
• Turn2us works in partnership with organisations across the UK, including AdviceUK, Association of Charitable Officers, Citizens Advice, Child Poverty Action Group, Home-Start UK and Money Advice Trust to develop our services and reach the many millions of people that need our help.