- Published
Charities say they are "busier than ever" helping people living in furniture poverty.
asserted
they → publish → poverty
BBC South spoke to people and organisations affected in Hampshire after national charity End Furniture Poverty said about six million in the UK were living without essentials such as beds, cookers and fridges.
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million → speak → beds
And a group of MPs is calling on the government to develop a national strategy to address the problem.
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group → call → problem
They said they believed that a safe, secure and sustainable home should include access to the basic furniture necessary for everyday living.
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home → say → living
The government said it was already taking action to support households.
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it → say → households
Among those who have needed help is Yana Osibchuk, who moved to the UK from Ukraine after the war began with her son, her dog and two suitcases - and was placed into social housing.
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war → need → housing
"It was absolutely empty - no furniture, no cooker, no fridge, nothing and no flooring," she said.
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she → say → ?
Yana was referred to charity Southampton City and Region Action to Combat Hardship (Scratch).
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Yana → refer → Hardship
"It's really changed my life," she said.
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she → change → life
The overwhelming majority of social housing is let unfurnished.
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majority → let → housing
Scratch has been running for 27 years and its managing director Mike Taylor said the charity was "busier now than it's ever been".
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it → run → years
"We are always chock-a-block, our diaries are full every week," he said.
"
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he → say → ?
We have two vans going out every day."
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vans → have → ?
He said household budget pressure were a factor but that there were lots of reasons people found themselves needing help.
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themselves → say → help
"It could be that they've had a crisis in their life, they've had to flee a relationship or flee domestic violence and they've ended up somehow in a property with no furniture," he said.
uncertain
he → have → furniture
"They may have children with them.
uncertain
They → have → them
They haven't got disposable income.
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They → get → income
They just don't have the facilities or the money to get going again."
Scratch relies on donations and grants from the council.
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Scratch → have → council
It then makes up packs and sells them on to people at minimal prices.
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It → make → prices
The charity does not deal directly with the public but takes referrals from the council, housing association or other professionals like social workers.
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charity → deal → workers
National charity End Furniture Poverty defines furniture poverty as the inability to access or afford to buy or maintain any household furniture or appliance item that is essential to achieve a socially acceptable standard of living.
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that → define → living
Charity director Claire Donovan said: "There are harmful physical, emotional, social, and financial consequences to furniture poverty, and it's not just about material needs as furniture poverty is a consequence of the broader issue of poverty.
"
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poverty → say → poverty
Over a quarter of social housing tenants live in furniture poverty and yet only around 3% of those are let as furnished."
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% → live → those
End Furniture Poverty questioned people living in furniture poverty and 30% said their physical and mental health had been impacted.
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health → question → poverty
Claire added: "Not being able to get a good night's sleep because you haven't got a bed.
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you → add → bed
Not being able to store or prepare fresh food because you haven't got a cooker or a fridge - and just the grinding stress of that day in day out - it really affects every area of your life."
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it → store → life
It is not a problem confined to one area.
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It → confine → area
The Moving on Project Portsmouth charity helps people in the city struggling with furniture poverty.
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charity → move → poverty
Every day it sees people in desperate need.
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it → see → need
Sarah Knight, from the charity, said: "It's huge.
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It → say → charity
People are digging deep - the only other alternative is to enter loans which have a high interest rate and can lead to problems along the line.
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which → dig → line
"It used to be people on benefits - now it's not, it's people from all walks of life.
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it → use → life
Reduced hours, higher bills - it affects everybody.
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it → reduce → everybody
The foodbanks and pantries are on the increase and it's the same with furniture - there are so many families struggling.
"
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it → be → furniture
Some may not have a bed, they may have a couple of kids sharing a bed.
uncertain
they → have → bed
It's horrendous to think that we are in 2026 and to think this amount of poverty is still going on."
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amount → think → poverty
End Furniture Poverty is calling on the government to ensure 10% of social housing is let as furnished.
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% → call → housing
A government spokesperson said in a statement: "No one should have to live without essential furniture in the place they call home.
"
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they → say → place
We're taking action to support renters by launching a £1bn fund that can be used to help households get furniture."
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households → take → furniture
The Aporia
