More than half of Brits forced to change budgets to pay bills last month, major study finds
The number of households estimated to have made alterations to their spending stands at around 14.8 million
More than half of British households were forced to change their spending in order to cover the cost of everday bills last month, according to a study.
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The survey, by Which?, found that 52% of us have made at least one adjustment to cover the cost of everyday essentials in recent weeks.
These include utility bills, housing costs, groceries, school supplies and medicines in the month to mid-October.
Which? said the number of households estimated to have been affected, if the figures were projected across the UK, would be 14.8 million – the highest level seen since December 2024.
Adjustments included cutting back on essentials, dipping into savings, selling possessions or borrowing.
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More positively, the proportion of households who said they had missed at least one essential payment, such as rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, credit card or loan payments in the previous month fell to 5.5%, from 7.7% in September.
A fifth (20%) of people surveyed believe their household situation will get better over the next 12 months and about a third (34%) think it will deteriorate.
When people were asked why they think theirs will worsen over the next 12 months, the majority cited issues related to the cost of living such as food prices, bills or inflation, the consumer group said.
Government policies were also widely mentioned in the consumer insight tracker, with some people highlighting concerns about possible tax rises, Which? added.
One woman from Scotland told researchers: "The cost of living is too high.
"It's a struggle to make ends meet. Food shopping is stressful as everything costs so much and paying bills, the cost of everything is rising.
"I think this will keep continuing to get worse."
Which? said that people who are missing or struggling to afford essentials, such as energy, credit card or mortgage payments, should speak to their provider immediately for help.
Rocio Concha, the organisation's director of policy and advocacy, said: "Our research shows that millions of households are struggling to cover the costs of everyday essentials such as utility bills, mortgage and rent payments and the weekly shop.
"With the festive season fast-approaching and the weather starting to get colder, the added pressures of Christmas shopping and keeping the house warm and cosy will only add to households' financial stresses.
"We’d encourage anyone who's struggling to seek free debt advice and to reach out to their bill provider for help."
The survey among more than 2,100 people across the UK was carried out between October 17 and 19.