People gather across the country to protest the cost of living crisis
Protests are taking place across the country this afternoon
Last updated 29th May 2022
People are gathering in towns and cities across England, Wales and Scotland this afternoon to protest against the rising cost of living.
It follows the lifting of the energy price cap yesterday which saw some people's energy bills go up by 54% overnight.
It's thought households will be around £1000 worse off this year as a result of all the price rises across the board.
It's not just energy, the price of the weekly shop and fuel are also putting a #BigSqueeze on family's finances.
The People's Assembly is behind action taking place this afternoon, with demonstrations planned in places including: Downing Street, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Cambridge, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Glasgow, Hanley, Hull, Ipswich, Lancaster, Leicester, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Preston, Redcar, Sheffield and Southampton.
A spokesperson for the campaign group said: “Public outrage over the cost-of-living crisis is growing fast, and our response is gaining momentum.”
Unions have complained that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement last week did nothing to allay fears about soaring fuel bills and rising inflation, with the TUC calling for an emergency budget to help families.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Lewis said the Government cannot “completely nullify” the impacts of global pressure on energy prices, but ministers will put in supportive measures where possible.
“I know, even this week, where I live we’re on oil-fired heating, I’ve seen that change directly in the price of oil – and actually the ability to get it,” he said.
“At home, my family went a few days where we had no oil, just waiting for the suppliers and seeing the very big increase in price on that.
“We can’t completely nullify the impacts of the global markets and global pressure, for example, on energy, which is obviously the main focus at the moment for most people.
“But we will put in the support that we can, as and when we can, as I say, looking… across the board at what we’re doing with the public’s money.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who will be speaking at the London demonstration, said: “With rising fuel, food and energy bills, the soaring cost of living is pushing millions into poverty, and the disgusting treatment of the sacked P&O workers needs urgent action from the Government.
“Demonstrations will be taking place all over the country, with thousands of people coming together to demand redistribution of wealth and power and decent wages for all, as well as justice for P&O workers.”
Laura Pidcock, national secretary of the People’s Assembly, who will be speaking at the Liverpool protest, said: “What people are experiencing is intolerable.
“No matter how patiently we explain that Government inaction over soaring energy and fuel costs and sharply rising food prices is deepening poverty, misery and hunger, it is met with at best indifference and at worst more of the same.
“The truth is they are so wedded to the economic system we have, comfortable with a hands-off approach, that even when markets are obviously failing us, they continue with business as usual.
“We tell them about children going hungry and the Government shrug, politically speaking.”
Why does everything cost so much?
The government say global supply chains, and the uncertainty cause by war in Ukraine is responsible for the cost of living increase.
Inflation is the measure by which we record how much prices are rising across the UK.
At the moment, it's just over 6%, so something that cost £1 last year will now cost £1.06.
It's thought it could hit close to 9% later this year.
#BigSqueeze
Over the coming week or so we'll be looking further into the ongoing #BigSqueeze on family finances.
You can find out more about that here.
Here's a look at where some of the biggest hits on your pockets will come.
Energy prices
The cost of energy is skyrocketing because of increased demand since economies opened up after months or years of coronavirus restrictions.
Most of our homes are gas-powered through central heating, and a large part of our electricity comes from gas too.
The price cap, which was designed to stop companies charging too much, is now setting the minimum amount you can pay, after looking at national and global supply factors.
Earlier this year, Ofgem decided 54% was a fair increase for energy companies to charge, pushing bills up to around £2000 per household.
It's thought it could go up to closer to £2500 a year if prices on the wholesale market continue to rise.
Petrol and diesel
Demand for petrol and diesel has done the same to prices at the pumps, which saw record amounts charged at filling stations throughout March.
Unleaded now regularly costs more than £1.60 a litre, and its more than £1.70 for diesel.
Wholesale prices are rising, as people return to workplaces after months or years of working from home, and demand for items in shops and online means fuel is in massive demand.
That means higher prices too.
Grocery shopping
The route items take to get to our supermarket shelves has also been disrupted by coronavirus, and new rules and red tape introduced because of Brexit.
That's pushed up prices too.
At the moment, prices are increasing by more than 5% on last year, which could hit as high as 8% later this month.
National insurance
The government announced last year they were pushing up the National Insurance rate to pay for social care.
For most people it comes directly out of your wages, just like tax.
A 1.25 percentage-point rise introduced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak will mean someone earning £20,000 per year will take home £89 less compared to last year, but a change to thresholds announced in the Spring Statement now means a typical employee will take home an extra £330.
Pay rises that don't match inflation
At any other time, we'd be celebrating the highest pay rises in a decade, with some staff seeing a 3% rise in their salaries this year.
But given inflation is currently higher than 5%, it actually means you're actually worse off, as your new pay amount won't match the increase in the things we want or need to buy.