A report by the Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) has highlighted the “multiple forms of austerity” facing Muslim women, with some reportedly skipping meals and facing extreme hardship due to financial desperation.
The charity, which operates a national helpline, found that one in six service users in 2024 reported experiencing significant cost-of-living difficulties. The data suggests that minority ethnic women are being hit “disproportionately hard” by rising prices, often due to a combination of lower-paid work, insecure immigration status, and larger family sizes.
Impossible choices
The report details harrowing accounts of women struggling to afford basic necessities. Data from the helpline indicates that 13% of those seeking help with the cost of living had a baby under the age of one.
One mother told the helpline she had been forced to use “buy now pay later” schemes to afford winter clothes for her three children, including essentials for a child with disabilities. “I have started to keep the kids in one room to keep warm to save on heating and buying less food so I can keep up with repayments,” she said, adding that her credit provider told her “there is nothing they can do”.
Beyond food and energy, the crisis is affecting personal dignity. The charity revealed that some women have resorted to using “rags made from old clothing” as a substitute for sanitary products. In one case study, a woman named Maryam described how her husband refused to buy tampons or pads to cut the shopping bill, telling her to “make do”.
Barriers to support
The research found that many Muslim women face unique barriers to accessing help. These include:
- Food Bank Inequality: A volunteer contacted the helpline with concerns that some colleagues were “deliberately” placing non-halal products in parcels intended for Muslim families.
- Divorce Costs: Women seeking an Islamic divorce often face fees of up to £400, which are rarely waived even for those fleeing abuse.
- Language and Awareness: A lack of English proficiency or digital access means many are unaware of schemes like Healthy Start or council tax reductions.
A mental health crisis
MWNUK warned that if the trend continues, the UK faces a “mental health crisis” as financial stress compounds existing trauma. The report concludes “These multifaceted challenges collectively deepen the financial hardship experienced by service users, necessitating targeted support and policy interventions to alleviate their economic burdens effectively”.