Scale of 'appliance poverty' in Yorkshire and Humber revealed in new report

National poverty charity Turn2us has today launched its #LivingWithout campaign report, which outlines the scale of appliance poverty across the UK

In total across the UK, at least 4.8m people in two million households are living without basic items like fridges, freezers, cookers and washing machines.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, a total of 532,200 people in 218,000 households are living without household essentials, according to the report.

The report reveals Yorkshire and Humber is among the worst affected regions along with London, the West Midlands and the North East.

The report reveals a total of 703,200 people in London in 293,000 households are living without household essentials.

The analysis highlights the true scale of appliance poverty in the UK, with at least 1.9m people living without a cooker, 2.8m people living without a freezer, 900,000 people living without a fridge and 1.9m people living without a washing machine.

It also highlights the dire financial, physical and emotional consequences experienced by people living without these basic essentials - specially families and individuals affected by more complex physical and mental needs.

The research and analysis from Turn2us shows that changes to welfare policy since 2010 has contributed significantly to the increase in appliance poverty.

The abolition of the Social Fund in 2013, which previously provided support for those living without essential household appliances, has specifically been identified as the single biggest erosion of help.

Of the 100 grant giving charities Turn2us spoke to as part of this campaign, more than 70 per cent identified the abolition of this crisis fund as a turning point.

Turn2us is campaigning to develop a new system of Local Welfare Assistance Schemes to adequately replace the Social Fund.

Thomas Lawson, chief executive of Turn2us, said: “Household appliances are not luxuries, they are essentials.

"Everyone deserves the simple right to store their own food, cook their own dinner and wash their own clothes.

“People who currently live without white goods face huge economic, physical and emotional penalties.

"We all want to live in a society where these social injustices are no longer tolerated.

“The Living Without report highlights the scale, impact and causes of living without. We have set out a series of recommendations that can eradicate the endemic problem.

"Policy-makers, housing associations, charities and companies now need to come together to make this a reality.”