Social Life was commissioned by the GLA and London Councils to research lessons learned from the different interventions put in place to support low-income households in winter 2022-23. The cost-of-living crisis has affected all Londoners, but has hit hourseholds living on low-incomes most harshly.
The work had a particular focus on warm and welcoming spaces, holiday food aid, energy advice and support, and welfare and hardship support.
The public, private and voluntary sectors worked together to co-ordinate support for London’s low-income households throughout winter 2022-23. Specific programmes and projects have supported low-income households in the past, however provision to help Londoners avoid destitution at this scale is new. Until recently, programmes to address extreme poverty have focused on smaller groups and needs, including people with no recourse to public funds, rather than reaching out to all low-income Londoners.
The report sets out recommendstions to help agencies translate their learnings from winter 2022-23 to their programming in the coming winter 2023-24.
