Cost of Living and Debt Community Meeting: What We Learned and What Came Next?

10 Sept

Cost of Living and Debt Community Meeting

Building Collective Action Against Financial Hardship

On 10 September 2022, we held a Cost of Living and Debt Community Meeting, bringing together people facing financial hardship, organisers, and campaigners to discuss solutions and take action.

Kicking Off: Food & Solidarity's Work

Food and Solidarity community meeting attendees discussing cost of living crisis solutions in Newcastle

Community members gathering for the Cost of Living and Debt meeting

Food and Solidarity organizers speaking about housing justice and community action against evictions

Speakers introducing Food & Solidarity and discussing community-led action

Over tea, coffee, and doughnuts, we introduced Food & Solidarity, sharing our principles, origins, and the direct action we've taken to support our community. We focused on how collective action can address food insecurity and housing struggles, setting the stage for a powerful discussion.

Lessons from the Past: The Poll Tax Struggle

Ewan Gibbs presenting historical lessons from Poll Tax resistance movement for current economic justice campaigns

Ewan Gibbs sharing insights on grassroots organizing before the Poll Tax campaign

Community organizing strategies from successful Poll Tax resistance applied to modern cost of living crisis

Understanding how communities successfully resisted unjust policies

We heard from Ewan Gibbs, who shared insights on grassroots organising before the Poll Tax Non-Payment Campaign, a movement that forced a government U-turn. His talk highlighted how communities can successfully resist unjust policies—lessons that are more relevant than ever.

Understanding Debt: Breaking Down the System

Clean Slate debt advisor explaining debt management strategies at Food and Solidarity community meeting

Graham from Clean Slate provided a clear breakdown of debt, explaining how it often stems from unpredictable changes in material conditions rather than personal failings. His 15 years of experience demystified the financial traps many fall into.

The 'Don't Pay' Plan

Don't Pay UK campaign organizers presenting energy bill resistance strategy at community meeting

Local organisers from @dontpayuk NE6 presented the Don't Pay campaign, which challenges unaffordable energy costs. They outlined the strategy and took questions on how mass non-payment could pressure energy companies to lower bills.

Bailiff Resistance: Knowing Our Rights

We ran a workshop on bailiff resistance, covering:

What bailiffs can and cannot legally do.
Steps tenants and communities can take to protect each other.
Real examples of successful resistance.

This session was practical, equipping attendees with knowledge to challenge unlawful bailiff actions.

Global Solidarity: Bolivia & the Fight for Water

A Bolivian water activist was due to join us but couldn't due to internet issues. However, she sent two short films, connecting privatisation struggles in Bolivia with the fight against austerity and privatisation in the UK. The parallels reinforced the idea that our struggles are deeply interconnected.

Building the Future Together

After summing up, we shared a meal and reflected on the discussions. This was just the first of many events—we're committed to continuing the fight against debt, exploitation, and eviction.