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Who Is Most Affected?

While the COLC impacts people from all walks of life, certain groups are hit the hardest:

Low-Income Families

For households already on the edge, any increase in bills or food prices can mean going without essentials like heating, proper nutrition, or hygiene products. The COLC often pushes working families to food banks or short-term loans.

Single Parents

Juggling work, childcare, and household costs alone means there’s little flexibility when costs spike. Many report skipping meals to feed their children or being unable to heat their homes during colder months.

Elderly People

Pensioners often live on fixed incomes, making them especially vulnerable to energy and rent hikes. Cold homes and poor diets can lead to serious health complications in older adults.

Young Adults & Students

Rising rents and tuition fees, alongside low wages and job insecurity, mean many young people are burdened with debt and unaffordable living conditions.

Disabled People

Living with a disability can mean extra costs — from specialist equipment to mobility needs — while simultaneously facing barriers to employment and support cuts.

The Human Impact

The effects of the COLC are not only financial — they’re deeply emotional and social. People are facing increased:

  • Mental health struggles due to stress, shame, and anxiety
  • Social isolation as costs limit access to transport and social opportunities
  • Nutritional decline as fresh, healthy food becomes unaffordable
  • Heating and housing insecurity, leading to illness and homelessness

This crisis isn’t just about numbers — it’s about dignity, wellbeing, and community.

What Can Be Done?

While structural change is needed at government level, community-led action is already making a difference. Projects like warm spaces, community food hubs, repair cafés, and skills-sharing workshops empower people to support one another and stretch resources further.

At Just12Days, we believe in the power of small contributions to create large ripple effects. By volunteering just one day a month — or even one hour — anyone can become part of the solution.

Take Action

  • Know someone affected? Reach out. Sometimes a warm meal, a lift to the shop, or a friendly ear can make all the difference.
  • Got a skill or space? Use it. Start a project, host a warm space, or offer a budgeting session.
  • Need funding for a COLC project? We can help connect you to local grant opportunities.


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