A recent survey revealed an increasing number of British Muslims who cannot afford to buy food and are dependent on food banks due to the devastating cost of living crisis in the UK.
The Muslim Census conducted a survey of 1,568 Muslims aged 18 to 65 years and over who live in the UK to study the impact of the cost of living crisis that began to develop in August 2021 on various aspects of their lives.
The survey revealed that around one in five British Muslims has had to rely on food banks since August last year due to soaring living costs. At the same time, more than half of British Muslims have difficulty paying at least one of their household bills, with 65 percent forced to take on some form of debt to cover day-to-day expenses.
The Muslim Census says the British Muslim population sits at the crossroads of low-income, working-class, or urban communities with less liquid assets to absorb rising costs.
The study, supported by Algbra and the National Zakat Foundation, also notes that 50% of Britain’s Muslim population is considered poor, compared to 18% of the national population.
Through this survey, almost a third of the British Muslim population admitted that they had to skip meals to be able to pay their household bills in the past year, where as many as 19% of respondents said they had used a food bank in the last 12 months, and the majority of 65% admitted have been relying on food banks for the past three months.
One of the British Muslims who shared their experience through the first year of the cost of the living crisis to the Muslim Census said their hopes were dashed amidst the current price of living situation. They are also very worried about their long-term financial management.
According to the Muslim Census, the crisis is far from over, and this study only explores the possibility that only the initial stages of the crisis are expected to continue, and the impact will become more evident.
