Christians Against Poverty launches Christmas Appeal with new poll showing people value church’s help during cost of living crisis.
Christians Against Poverty is marking the start of its new Christmas Appeal with the launch of a UK-wide YouGov poll which reveals new insights into how people recognise the positive impact made by local churches and Christian organisations during the cost of living crisis.
The YouGov* poll reveals that forty-two percent of those asked, said they thought churches and other Christian organisations had been effective in helping people and local communities during the rising cost of living.
The UK-wide poll of over 2,200 people was carried out in July. In it, thirteen percent went so far as to say that they felt their local churches and other Christian organisations had been either “very” or “extremely effective” at providing help.
The poll’s results have been revealed as part of Christians Against Poverty’s Christmas fundraising appeal which is providing emergency support to people this Christmas.
Millions of families are facing a worsening cost of living crisis this winter. It’s heartbreaking to see that half the people who come to us for help don’t have enough income to cover their most basic needs. Making sure they have enough food and heating, and can keep a roof over their heads, is going to be essential this Christmas, so I am asking anyone who can, to support our appeal.
The lives of people like Thomas have been transformed by CAP’s help. Christmas used to be the loneliest moment of Thomas’ life. Living alone in an empty room, with just pot noodles to eat on Christmas day. Thomas’ life has transformed through CAP’s help and he is now a Debt Coach for CAP.
I reached out to CAP for help and Joanne, the Debt Coach from the local church, came to visit. Joanne brought me an emergency support package. Emergency packages can include food, phone top-ups, gas and electricity money, school uniform, prescription payments… whatever you urgently need.
Thomas also added: “I know that right now, more than a quarter* of people are skipping meals because of the cost of living. One in 10 people leave their gas or electricity off because they can’t afford the bills. It’s not just the scale of poverty that’s disturbing, it’s the cruelty.”
“The desperation I see this winter is really distressing. People try not to cry in front of me, but I can tell they are broken. My heart goes out to them because I know their pain. You don’t forget a Christmas spent in poverty. But my life was turned around and with help others can be too.”
*CAP commissioned a YouGov poll of a nationally representative sample of 2,220 people in July 2023. 84% of respondents lived in England, 5% in Wales, 9% in Scotland, 3% in Northern Ireland.
Churches and Christian organisations - The following question is being asked to people of all religious affiliation as well as to people who do not feel they belong to any particular religion. Thinking about Churches and other Christian organisations…To what extent, if at all would you say that they have been effective in helping people and local communities during the rise in cost of living?
