Issue

Cost of living

17 stories · discussed at 5 council meetings · 13 councils

Councils are currently addressing the cost of living by providing direct financial support to residents and grappling with the impact of inflation on council budgets and service delivery.

Barking and Dagenham Council is facing pressure to address food insecurity, with a September 2026 report indicating 20.1% of residents experienced hunger due to affordability issues. Tower Hamlets Council approved an extension to its school uniform grant in July 2026, increasing the income threshold to £60,000 to support families. Wandsworth Council froze parking charges in November 2025 to ease financial strain on residents, and Haringey Council launched a £66,000 Council Tax Hardship Fund in December 2025 for residents struggling with bills.

Merton Council is facing a projected budget gap of £9.694 million by 2027/28, attributed to global geopolitical issues impacting inflation, particularly utility costs, as highlighted in a July 2026 Cabinet meeting. Bexley Council was facing a projected budget overspend of £1.76 million for the 2025/26 financial year, primarily in Adult Social Care and Public Health, according to a February 2026 report. Richmond upon Thames was facing a projected £2.8 million overspend in September 2025, driven by rising homelessness costs.

Hammersmith and Fulham's Climate, Sustainability and Travel Policy and Accountability Committee outlined in July 2026 that energy bills and building retrofitting will be key areas of examination, with a commitment to reduce energy bills for residents. Westminster City Council was examining in September 2025 how vulnerable residents access community pharmacies and medicines, concerned about the impact of rising costs. No upcoming meetings are listed as having this topic on their agenda.

Key facts

  1. A September 2026 report indicated 20.1% of Barking and Dagenham residents experienced hunger due to affordability issues. Source
  2. Tower Hamlets Council approved an extension to its school uniform grant in July 2026, increasing the income threshold to £60,000. Source
  3. Merton Council is facing a projected budget gap of £9.694 million by the financial year 2027/28, as highlighted in July 2026. Source
  4. Haringey Council launched a Council Tax Hardship Fund with an initial allocation of £66,000 in December 2025. Source
  5. Wandsworth Council allocated £193,710 to 14 community organisations in November 2025 to help them cope with rising costs. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 2

  1. Tower Hamlets Council Considers Growing Spaces Petition Tower Hamlets Council's full council meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, addressed a range of resident concerns, including a petition for increased community growing spaces. Tower Hamlets 23 January 2026
  2. Croydon council to review councillors' expenses Croydon councillors are set to have their expenses reviewed, with a proposal to introduce annual inflationary increases to better reflect the rising cost of living. Croydon 16 January 2026
  3. Croydon councillors' allowances to rise with inflation Croydon councillors are set to see their allowances rise in line with inflation, following a recommendation from the General Purposes Committee. Croydon 16 January 2026
  4. Haringey Launches New Council Tax Hardship Fund Haringey Council has launched a new Council Tax Hardship Fund to provide financial assistance to residents struggling to pay their council tax bills. Haringey 15 December 2025
  5. Wandsworth Council Grants £193K to Community Organizations to Address Cost of Living Crisis Wandsworth Council has allocated £193,710 to 14 community organisations to help them cope with the rising cost of living. The grants, approved by the Grants Sub-Committee on 6... Wandsworth 7 November 2025
  6. Wandsworth Freezes Parking Charges Amid Cost of Living Crisis Wandsworth Council has decided to freeze parking charges for the upcoming year, acknowledging the financial pressures faced by residents due to the cost of living crisis. This... Wandsworth 5 November 2025
  7. Richmond Faces £2.8M Overspend, Driven by Rising Homelessness Costs; Council Launches Transformation Programme and Addresses Funding Review Richmond upon Thames faces a projected £2.8 million overspend, with rising homelessness costs identified as a primary driver. The council is taking action to address the... Richmond upon Thames 29 September 2025
  8. Westminster Examines Community Pharmacy Access for Vulnerable Residents Amid Cost of Living Concerns Westminster City Council is examining how vulnerable residents can access community pharmacies and obtain necessary medicines, according to a recent council meeting. The council... Westminster 14 September 2025