Help us support our residents across the Black Country through the energy crisis

As the cost of living has hugely increased and energy prices being a significant contributing factor to that increase, young people in supported accommodation and living independently are facing difficult decisions between paying for food or paying to heat their accommodation.

YMCA Black Country Group has calculated that if young people are on universal credit they will have approximately £10.75 per week left from their benefits after paying for their rent, food and the current rates of energy to heat their accommodation. That does not take into consideration leisure, transport, clothing, toiletries and mobile phone costs.

With food costs increasing and the next round of energy price increases imminent in the Autumn, YMCA are looking to raise money to assist young people manage the cost of living crisis.

Any money raised for this fund will go to practical way to help young people in the Black Country, such as provision of hot water bottles, extra blankets, topping up their meters to provide warmth in the coldest months and developing programmes to assist young people to budget effectively and ensure they are receiving every available benefit to maximise their income.