Supporting you with the cost of living

Research with parents and carers earlier in 2022 showed that...

• 59% of parents and carers who send their young people to extracurricular activities say the cost of living crisis has impacted what they can afford to send their young people to – with their young people now attending less, fewer or stopping activities
• 7% of parents and carers are now unable to afford to extracurricular activities at all, which means that across the UK, more than 500,000 young people may be affected

Please share what your local experiences are of the cost of living crisis on Scouts and where you feel more support is needed. We'll continue to add to this guidance as we source more support for you.

Playing your part

Here are some examples of how Scout groups have been helping tackle the cost of living crisis:

• In Nottinghamshire, they’ve been offering flexible payments for families who are struggling.
• In Norfolk, they’re renting out the Scouts hut externally to fundraise for young people’s subs.
• In Buckinghamshire, second hand uniform shops have helped 107 families  – which is good for the environment, too!
• In Lincolnshire, they’re installing new windows and doors to help keep the heat in and lower energy bills.
• In Carnock, they’ve been doing the most cost-effective or free activities, such as hiking, to reduce costs for families.
• In Yorkshire, they’ve been using things they already have, such as crafts, instead of buying new resources.
• In Glamorgan, they’re being as careful as they can be with their heating bills – using curtains to keep in the heat, and only turning on the heating when the young people are in the building.