The People's Panel - cost of living: research findings

Appendix C: Small group discussion questions on cost of living topics

Group session: Cost of living crisis and what it means to members

• What does the cost of living crisis mean to you?

Follow-up:

• When and how did you notice it? How is it affecting you? What are the realities of the cost of living crisis for you and your household?
• What are you most worried about?
• How are you coping with these difficulties?

Follow-up:

• What action have you had to take to pay your bills/buy food/ fill up your car?
• What do you think the Scottish Government could do to help?

Event 3

Research Questions

• Research Question 1: What impact, and in what way, is (or will) the cost of living crisis hav(e)ing on member’s (or others they know) lives beyond choosing between heating and eating?
• Research Question 2: What impact, and in what way, is (or will) the cost of living crisis having on member’s health and wellbeing?
• Research Question 3: What do members think would help them, their families and communities?

Group session: The impact of the cost of living crisis on members’ behaviour and health and wellbeing

• Firstly can we talk about what might have changed in terms of what you (or others you know) buy and what you do because of the cost of living crisis?

Follow-up:

• Do you have different priorities from before? Are you making any trade-offs or sacrifices? What decisions are you having to make? Do you have choices or has the crisis taken them away?
• Have you (or others you know) done anything in particular to help manage that change?
• How do you expect what you ( or others you know) buy or do to change over the next six months?

Follow-up:

• Will there need to be further trade-offs or sacrifices, further decisions to be made or further lack of choice?]
• Now we would like to talk about the impact of this on your health and wellbeing (or of others you know), so in what ways, has the cost of living crisis affected your health and wellbeing?

Follow-up:

• How are spending changes (whatever has come up in the first session but potentially - less food, poorer quality food, colder home, no holidays, less socialising) making you feel mentally and physically?
• How are any worries affecting your mental health?
• How are these changes affecting any physical health conditions you may have?
• How do you expect this impact to develop in the next six months? (Prompts as above)

Follow up:

• Do you expect health and wellbeing to get worse or better? And why?
• What support or help would make a difference to you, and others?

Follow-up:

• How would these things improve your situation?