UK May Face Humanitarian Crisis Due to Record-High Inflation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom could face a humanitarian crisis as people have to choose between meals and heating homes amid rising prices, the National Health Service (NHS) Confederation said on Friday.

"The country is facing a humanitarian crisis. Many people could face the awful choice between skipping meals to heat their homes and having to live in cold, damp, and very unpleasant conditions. This in turn could lead to outbreaks of illness and sickness around the country and widen health inequalities, worsen children’s life chances and leave an indelible scar on local communities," the head of the NHS Confederation, Matthew Taylor, said in a statement.

This situation is caused by rising energy prices, the statement said, adding that the UK is already seeing a rise in disease and worsening health.

In this regard, the NHS Confederation, on behalf of NHS leaders across the country, wrote a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, urging the government to limit price increases and provide support to people and families in need.

"These outbreaks will strike just as the NHS is likely to experience the most difficult winter on record. NHS leaders have made this unprecedented intervention as they know that fuel poverty will inevitably lead to significant extra demand on what are already very fragile services," Taylor added.

According to the statement, the NHS is concerned that widespread fuel poverty will increase the already high number of annual deaths associated with cold homes.

A YouGov poll commissioned by Times Radio out this week found that millions of Brits have cut back on eating since global food shortages and rising energy costs caused food prices to soar in the United Kingdom at their fastest rate in four decades. 16% of respondents were regularly skipping meals to save money, while four in ten put food they usually bought back on the shelf for financial reasons.

About 50% of people sampled on August 8-9 said they had to cut back on dining in cafes and restaurants in an effort to balance their budget as the cost of living continues to rise across the country.

The Times said that food prices were second to transport as the main driver behind the rising inflation. Some families have reportedly complained they could no longer afford their weekly shopping.

In addition, London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed concerns this week that the rising cost of living may lead to more crime.

"I am concerned about a potential increase in violence this summer as the cost of living crisis deepens and threatens to reverse the progress we have made in tackling violent crime," Khan said.

According to the mayor, more than 50% of shootings in London and nearly 25% of homicides are committed by gangs, so gang exit schemes are being boosted by 2 million pounds ($2.4 million).

The UK Office for National Statistics said that the annual inflation rose to a new 40-year high of 10,1% in July from 9.4% in June. The UK economy is forecast to enter recession from the fourth quarter of the year, according to the Bank of England.