Supporting you with the cost of living

Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living

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Updated Wednesday 23 November 2022

The increases in cost of living will have a direct impact on Scouts. We want Scouts to continue to grow and deliver skills for life for more young people, even during this uncertain time. This is when our young people and the people they live with need us most.

We're sharing how the cost of living increases may impact Scouts in different ways to help you plan and assess your local area’s situation. We'll also provide guidance to support you in managing any cost impacts.

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

Finances should never be a barrier for a young person to take part in Scouts, so we'll share support on how to make sure all young people can continue their Scouts activities.

There is also guidance available for supporting our volunteers, and around the local running costs of Scouts – including Scout buildings.

Share your experiences

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.

Share your cost of living experiences

If you missed the webinar on Tuesday 25 October, you can catch up by watching our recording of the session. Please note that the Cost of Living Support Fund is now closed.