According to police chiefs, rising living expenses could lead to an increase in theft and blackmail.
The Sunday Times reported that the UK’s police are worried about a rise in some types of criminality and civil unrest during winter due to a rising cost of living.
Chief police officers have prepared a document that warns of dangers “economic turmoil and financial instability”This could lead to an increase of crimes such as shoplifting and burglary, car theft, online fraud, blackmail, and vehicle theft. There is a greater likelihood that more children will join drug gangs. Additionally, there may be more sexual exploitation of women.
To deal with any fallouts from the crisis of cost of living, contingency planning is being done.
“Prolonged and painful economic pressure”Could pose the risk “greater civil unrest,”Similar to 2011’s London Riots, the newspaper quotes the saying.
It is possible that police officers may also be affected. “Greater financial vulnerability may expose some staff to higher risk of corruption, especially among those who fall into significant debt or financial difficulties,”The paper stated.
This gloomy forecast came just days before the UK named its new prime minster. Ex-chancellor Rishi Unak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have promised to be decisive in addressing the soaring cost of energy.
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Sunak promises targeted support to the lowest income members of society. Frontrunner Truss, however, hasn’t revealed details about her strategy.
Civil servants are busy planning for contingencies. Whitehall officials have been busy compiling carbon papers to replicate documents under the worst case scenario of blackouts, according to Financial Times.
According to the Daily Mail, people could be told to stop cooking after eight o’clock in winter and to not use dishwashers or washing machines between two and eight o’clock in summer. This is part of energy rationing. Schools could be forced to shut down three days a week and pubs might close by 9pm.
Europe’s energy crisis has been made worse by Russia’s sanctions and decrease in natural gas supplies. Although the UK does not depend on Moscow directly for its fuel supply, it still suffers. The typical annual household fuel bill is expected to rise to around £3,500 from October, three times higher than last year. According to the Bank of England’s latest report, inflation will soar to 13% in October and from the fourth quarter of this year, the UK is projected to enter recession.
