The cost of living remains a hugely pressing priority according to the latest data from the ONS, meaning people are focusing their finances on living rather than planning, according to Broadstone.

The data showed the majority of adults (62%) said their cost of living had increased compared with a month ago - just 2% said it had decreased.

Eating out less (58%), buying cheaper food (51%) and buying discounted food (38%) were the most commonly-reported actions to save money on food because of the increased cost of living.

Around one in three adults (34%) who pay energy bills also reported finding it very or somewhat difficult to afford these bills, while around one in six adults (17%) reported they were occasionally, hardly ever, or never able to keep comfortably warm in their home in the past two weeks.

Rob Hillock, head of Personal Financial Planning at consultancy Broadstone, said: “The data shows that the cost-of-living crisis is no longer a short-term shock but a persistent squeeze on household finances.

“When nearly two-thirds of people are seeing their costs rise month-on-month, many are forced into reactive decisions – cutting back on food or everyday spending – rather than building savings or planning for the future.”

He said the fact that a third of households are struggling to afford energy bills is “particularly concerning, as it exposes how thin financial resilience has become, especially among renters and more vulnerable groups.

“For many, rising costs are not just eroding living standards but increasing the risk of debt and making long-term financial security feel increasingly out of reach.”

The ONS figures showed that between 1 October 2025 to 4 January 2026, 88% of adults reported the cost of living as an important issue. The following groups were more likely to report it:

• women (90%), compared with men (86%)

• unemployed adults (94%), compared with those who are retired (80%) or self-employed (85%)

• adults who rent their home (92%) or are currently paying off a mortgage (91%), compared with those who own their properties outright (83%)

• those in the Asian or Asian British (92%) or Other (95%) ethnic groups, compared with those in the White ethnic group (87%)

• adults who are parents of a dependent child (91%), compared with those without dependants (87%).