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Furniture Poverty: Are You Affected?

Updated: Jan 6

Furniture poverty is a relatively new term for a long standing issue. The impact of it is significant. So what is it and how do you know if you are affected by it? Most importantly, where can you go for help?



What is Furniture Poverty?


End Furniture Poverty gives the following definition: -


“Furniture Poverty is an inability to afford or access the basic furniture and furnishings that provide a household with a decent quality of life and an ability to participate in the customs and norms of society.”


The impact of furniture poverty is far reaching. Research shows that it can negatively affect the health, wellbeing and aspirations of all members of the household, including children.


Living without an essential household item or appliance raises the costs incurred by the household. There is therefore a ‘Poverty Premium’ associated with living in furniture poverty. For example, if you do not have a fridge or freezer, you might have to spend more on groceries or food, or if you do not have a washing machine, you might have to spend money at a laundrette.


How Do I know if I'm Affected?



Foundations has been addressing furniture poverty for almost a quarter of a century, and households do not need to be in receipt of benefits to be eligible for support.


Since we opened in 1996, we’ve seen that there are many different factors that influence furniture poverty and the impact differs from households to household.


We therefore avoid having a rigid eligibility criteria.


Instead, we provide exclusive access to our low cost, pre-loved furniture to people in Gateshead who experience hardship, for any reason. If households cannot afford the essential items they need to live comfortable, settled home lives, we are able to help.


We share some examples of the circumstances that Foundations have supported households with, in the hope that it helps people to assess if they, or a loved one, is affected by furniture poverty.


“I can’t afford essential items.”


End Furniture Poverty recognise the following household items as essential.


· Bed, bedding and mattress

· Table and chairs

· Sofa and/or easy chairs

· Wardrobe/drawers

· Carpets in living rooms and bedrooms

· Curtains or blinds

· Washing machine

· Refrigerator and freezer

· Cooker/oven

· TV


Anyone who cannot afford the above items, is affected by furniture poverty.


"My benefits are pending/I'm in a benefit sanction/My benefits have been reduced to repay rent arrears"


Waiting for benefit claims to be assessed while living without essential items, or with damaged or unsafe furniture and appliances, in our view, is furniture poverty. This also applies during benefit sanctions and if benefit payments are reduced due to rent arrears.


Any period of time where benefits are pending, stopped or reduced, and there is a need for furniture, households would be eligible for support.


“I feel like door step lenders or weekly payment stores are my only option”


With no savings or money left over each month after benefit payments or wages, many households tell us that they felt that the only option they had was to use a doorstep lender, pay day loan, weekly payment store or loan shark to get the essential items they need.



The downward financial spiral that long term, high interest lenders can cause can be devastating. Unless there is an ethical, affordable solution, households can feel that there is no alternative.


Luckily, most towns and cities up and down the country have a community furniture service like Foundations. If you do not live in Gateshead, you can find your nearest service here or check with your local authority.


"I work/my partner works/we both work but we cannot save anything once bills are paid and food is bought."


In-work poverty is growing in Gateshead, and 27% of children that are in poverty live in a working household. It can be a struggle to cover essential bills such as rent and groceries, let alone furniture and appliances.

It is still a common misconception that if you are working, you will not be eligible for support including benefits, advice and access to services.


If you are struggling, a benefits assessment is the best place to start to see what financial support you are entitled to. You can check if you are eligible for benefits using an online benefits calculator or by speaking to your local Citizen's Advice Service, Job Centre or Local Authority.


Starting an emergency budget for covering the cost of replacing a broken washing machine, damaged sofa or unsafe bed can still seem impossible if wages are low, working hours are unstable or when struggling with debt.


A working household in any of these situations, for example, is affected by furniture poverty and we're here to help.


"I’m looking after a loved one with behavioural problems and it’s a struggle to replace damaged items so often."


We regularly help parents and carers that care for a loved one with health conditions that can lead to destructive behaviour. It can be financially devastating to replace items regularly such as bedroom furniture. Depending on the frequency of the destructive behaviour, it can become financially impossible and quickly lead to furniture poverty.


"I'm moving on or recovering from crisis."

Homelessness, fleeing from abuse, family breakdown and many other distressing circumstances take a long time to recover from - emotionally and financially. Similar distress occurs for households that cannot afford contents insurance and have been affected by flooding, fire, or theft leaving them with no or few possessions.


Often, households in hardship have to rebuild a home life with no possessions or income whilst also trying to settle into a new community, seek employment/apply for benefits and arrange many other necessities like registering with a new GP or dentist for example.


Our research shows that when households can create a settled home life quickly after crisis, the household can begin to focus on recovery in other areas of life, and thrive.


In Conclusion

We understand the difficulties of recognising furniture poverty, especially if there are other things going in life that feel overwhelming. It is important to know if you are affected so that you can get the right support from community furniture charities, your local authority, citizen's advice and/or any other support services you can access.


With no strict eligibility criteria at Foundations, our ethos is to support anyone struggling to afford furniture, for any reason, so if there is a reason you are struggling that isn’t mentioned above, please get in touch.


If you have any questions about how a community furniture charity like Foundations works, give the team a call on 0191 477 8337 or email foundations.project@btconnect.com.

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