Guarantee Our Essentials

Universal Credit is supposed to be a safety net for people in need — but right now, the current allowance doesn’t reflect the real costs of living. In Barking, like across the UK, 5 in 6 low-income households struggle to afford essentials such as food, bills, and travel.

The cost of household bills and everyday essentials has been rising steadily year after year, while incomes — especially for those on Universal Credit — have failed to keep up. This gap leaves many facing hardship and turning to food banks like Barking Foodbank for urgent support.

We see the consequences every day: deteriorating health, growing debts, and increasing pressure on already stretched local services.

Life can change quickly. Losing a job, caring for a sick family member, or experiencing a relationship breakdown — these are challenges anyone can face. That’s why Universal Credit needs to provide enough support for people to cover their basic needs and maintain their dignity.

Barking Foodbank is joining calls for the UK government to introduce an Essentials Guarantee — a commitment to ensure everyone receives a protected minimum level of financial support that covers the true cost of essentials. This Guarantee would ensure the basic Universal Credit payment covers food, household bills, travel, and that any deductions (like debt repayments) don’t reduce payments below what’s needed to afford these essentials.

This is a crucial moment to stand up for a system that works — one that means no one in Barking has to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table

Click here to join the movement or learn more about Guarantee Our Essentials

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