Poverty and stress go hand in hand

 As April is National Stress Awareness Month, Charis business development director, Ollie Gray, underlines the importance of flexibility, speed and efficiency in alleviating the effects of the financial crisis that is hitting individual households across the UK.

Every month as bills rise and inflation erodes income, householders are facing harder and harder choices when it comes to prioritising bills, shopping, and other household expenses. The impact on their mental health is plain to see. In 2022, 83.4 million antidepressants were prescribed - a 5% increase from the year before.

As interest rates and inflation continue to bite deep, the stress of making ends meet is only going to drive these numbers up yet further.

That stress is exacerbated by a number of different issues. One of the key issues is unpredictability, which leads to high levels of stress and anxiety.

It’s the unpredictability of whether or not there will be enough money at the end of the month. It’s the unpredictability of what energy and shopping prices are going to do next. It’s the fear of what would happen if the washing machine broke down or the cooker.

Image © Charis

Added to this is the overriding lack of any sense of control over their situation. As prices spiral, all you can do is stand and stare in shock and disbelief at the absolute erosion of any spare cash left in your bank account while there are still days, if not weeks, till the next payday!

And any stress in a household felt by parents is transmitted, usually unwittingly, to the children. The ramifications of this current cost of living crisis will be felt for many years to come.

Charis has evolved its Charis Shop platform to give housing associations and social landlords as much flexibility as possible to alleviate the stress that their residents are experiencing. Hunger and warmth continue to be prominent themes, with over 1000 food and energy vouchers distributed daily. However, a recent report issued by Barnardo’s reported how the lack of basic essentials and furniture was also impacting families.

Image © Stock-Asso

The report stated that 41 per cent of parents surveyed struggled to replace essential items - these items ranged from washing machines and fridge freezers to furniture, and particularly beds. Many families reported that children were sleeping in the same beds as their parents or sharing a bed with their siblings. Some parents had even given up their own beds and were sleeping on sofas.

Speed and efficiency are vital when it comes to alleviating the stress felt by families who are wondering how to put food on the table. Charis was originally established to help energy and utility companies redistribute funding to those in fuel poverty. With the development of the Charis Shop, it soon became clear that there was so much more potential for using the platform for a number of different applications and helping a much wider proportion of the demographic that needed to be explored.

As well as negotiating agreements with white goods distributors, such as Whirlpool and AO, whereby housing associations can, within minutes, run an eligibility check and order replacement items (with all the delivery and installation details sorted by Charis), Charis has taken the range of products yet further.

A partnership agreement with Tillo has expanded the range of items and brands on offer, including Argos, B&Q, Currys, and Ikea. General supermarket brands include Aldi, Asda, Farmfoods, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco. Housing Associations can also now provide hot food vouchers through Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats for those who do not have the facilities to cook their own hot food or are in desperate situations. Clothing vouchers can also be redeemed at Primark.

Maintaining a certain standard of living is vital to stave off the worse of the stress and anxiety and feel as though you are not slipping uncontrollably into the depths of poverty and despair. For some, knowing that support is available and access to a hot meal can be all it takes to take the edge off that stress. Our Housing Association partners can issue this in seconds.

Charis is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 19th April to showcase its Charis Shop and how housing associations and their resident can benefit from its unique functionality. To register for the demonstration please click the link here.

www.charisgrants.com