Advertising Billboards Draw Attention to the High Cost of Living
Advertising Billboards Draw Attention to the High Cost of Living
The Trussell Trust, a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom, has teamed up with creative agency Don't Panic to design outdoor advertising billboards that print bills to draw attention to the high cost of living in the country. The bills printed by the billboards installed in Finsbury Park, London, highlight the inadequacy of social payments made by the government to those in need.
The UK government provides a social assistance payment called Universal Credit to help low-income or unemployed people meet their basic living expenses. According to a joint study by the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), a person in Great Britain needs a minimum of £120 per week to cover their basic needs after housing expenses in 2023. Calculations show that in some cases, the standard social assistance payment is less than half of this amount. JRF also notes that 90% of low-income households currently receiving Universal Credit are deprived of their basic needs.
The Trussell Trust aims to demonstrate the inconsistency between the Universal Credit assistance payment and the cost of basic needs with the giant bills printed by the advertising billboards. The bills also feature quotes from people who receive social assistance and use food banks, highlighting the difficult choice between heating and food.