Cost of living was top issue in local elections

Millions of voters went to the polls this week for the local elections - and the cost of living was foremost in their minds.

In fact, a poll by the More in Common for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found that it was the top issue for people casting their vote.

Nearly four in ten (39%) voters named the cost of living as their priority, ahead of:

• the NHS/healthcare - 29%
• affordable housing - 18%
• immigration - 18%

Of cost-of-living pressures, people’s main worries are:

• energy bills - 62%
• food shopping - 61%
• petrol and diesel prices - 39%

This week’s local elections were the biggest test of public opinion since the general election nearly two years ago.

So it’s clear that political parties will have to promise action on the cost of living if they’re to secure votes next time round.

Voters back renewable energy

One interesting finding of the More in Common and ECIU poll is that renewable energy sources are widely supported.

For example, seven in ten (70%) said they back onshore wind, while a similar number support offshore wind (72%) and solar farms (73%).

That’s significant given the current global situation, with the US-Israel war with Iran sending oil prices surging past $100 a barrel.

And when oil prices go up, we all feel the effects in the form of higher energy bills, fuel costs and prices in the shops.

“Voters are clearly fed up with things not getting better,” said Alasdair Johnstone of the ECIU.

“But a large part of this relates to the decisions of Trump and Putin, whose actions push up the price of oil and gas for us in the UK.”

What can I do if I’m struggling with living costs?

There are few steps you can take if you’re finding it hard to keep up with rising bills.

Create a household budget

Look at your income and outgoings, so you can be sure you’ve got money available for essential expenses.

We've put together a guide on how to create a budget to help you get started - and you can also try our free budget planner.

Check our regular money saving tips

We’re regularly updating these pages with handy advice on how you can save money, such as: 

• how to save energy
• how to keep the cost of your food shop down
• 50 ways to cut your fuel costs

And check back here for our round-ups of standout deals and low-cost recipes that can help you cut costs in the supermarket.

Use our household bills calculator

Our free and interactive household bills calculator gives you a personalised forecast of how your monthly costs could change, so there are no surprises when new bills arrive.

It takes just a few minutes to use and the results are tailored to where you live.

Find out what benefits you can claim 

If you’re struggling with your day-to-day costs, you might be entitled to financial support.

Use our benefits calculator to see what help you could be eligible to claim.

It might be more than you think.

Get help with your debts

If you’re feeling the pressure of debt, contact us for confidential, practical and impartial debt advice.