Church and Society Commission
Cost of living leaflet highlights sources of help and support
A new leaflet from the Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission highlights sources of help and support for households responding to the cost–of–living crisis.
This is available in versions for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and guides readers to where they can seek help when they are experiencing problems with debt and personal finances, energy and household costs, and buying food.
Parishes are welcome to download and print the leaflet, which gives room for including local information and words of encouragement and compassion, either on a space provided for this purpose or as an insert.
Hard copies of the leaflet will be made available to dioceses during the month of October, for sharing as they consider best.
All related resources, including templates for posters to highlight the leaflet, are provided below at the end of this article.
In its introduction, the Commission’s Chair, Archbishop Michael Jackson, writes: “I hope that the information that is to be found in this booklet is helpful and useful. My plea is that, if you think it is going to be helpful, you use it as much as you need to.
“The circumstances of everyday living are spinning out of the control, and indeed the grasp, of more and more people. Escalating prices mean escalating hardship.
“Coping from month to month now means coping from day to day. These contacts are designed to help you, and anyone with whom you wish to share this information, in coping discreetly and on your own terms. People who never thought they would be in such a position as this are making choices to exclude essentials from their lives, not luxuries.
“If this is where you, or any of your friends and neighbours, find yourselves please seek help sooner rather than later. Help is there, and I hope that you will make the contact to connect with a source of help who will be ready to listen to and support you.”
Leaflet and related resources for parishes and other ministries
Cost of living leaflet – Northern Ireland (PDF)
Cost of living leaflet – Republic of Ireland (PDF)
Including parish information on the leaflet (PDF)
Poster template – Northern Ireland (Word)
Poster template – Republic of Ireland (Word)
Poster template – cross–border (Word)
With thanks to the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland and Protestant Aid for their assistance in producing the leaflet.
