Kingston Cost of Living Residents’ Survey

Results updated 21 Feb 2024

Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey. We received 147 responses. The main findings were:

• more than a quarter of respondents are making significant changes in order to cope with the cost of living crisis.
• over two thirds are significantly impacted by the cost of electricity/gas and food/essential items. 
• Looking ahead, almost half of respondents are extremely concerned about paying for an unexpected household expense.
• and more than a quarter are extremely concerned about how they will pay energy/utility bills, the cost of food and essential items, and paying their rent or mortgage. 

A more detailed analysis of the survey responses has been carried out. This is being shared widely within the council and with our partners to support our understanding and combined with insight from other data sources means we can try to improve the help available and better target those affected. 

(If you would like this document in a different format please contact us by emailing engagement@kingston.gov.uk, or calling on 0208 547 5000 and asking for a call back from the Participation and Engagement team.)

As a result of the findings the report includes some of the first steps we’re planning to take. These are also set out below:

• Work with our Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners, through the Kingston Information and Advice Alliance (KIAA) Cost of Living network, to explore ways in which we can improve support, based on the survey findings.
• Widely share these findings across the council and with partners and combine it with insight from other data sources to constantly review our understanding of the impacts of the cost of living crisis and where we can try to improve the help available. This could include theming sections on particular groups impacted, to support understanding and drive resources to better support those affected, e.g. carers. 
• Connected Kingston, a website dedicated to helping people find activities, join clubs, and navigate local services in Kingston upon Thames, has a planned upgrade this Spring (March/April 2024), which will improve the search functionality and include an events calendar. This will be followed by a communications campaign to increase awareness of the website. 
• Continue to promote where people can get free hot meals in the borough including distributing and raising awareness of the RBKares Hot lunch or Hot Drink leaflet.
• Raise awareness of budgeting tools, and our local financial/budgeting information. This includes promotion of our Worrying about Money leaflet (produced by the Independent Food Aid Network in coordination with Kingston VCSE and the Local Authority) - online version and PDF version. 
• Use the survey results to share, target and help inform our Kingston Employment and Skills Partnership to help residents access employment, skills and training, digital inclusion support, benefits advice and job and career fairs / events.
• Make greater use of Facebook and school newsletters to reach people aged 35-44 who the survey showed were struggling most. And use targeted social media paid-advertising to signpost to cost of living support.
• Greater use of NextDoor to target cost of living support to different parts of the borough. 
• A new public information display area is being created in the reception area in Guildhall 2. This new space will be used to promote and engage with communities on different projects and provide information on the cost of living support available.

Links:

• Cost of Living support is available here