The impact of the cost of living crisis on the “millions of children living in poverty in Britain” will be “fatal”, a prominent campaigner has told MPs.

The food writer Jack Monroe said for these children, their “home situations and their family’s financial situations are already untenable.”

While giving evidence to the Work and Pensions committee, she added: “The impact of the cost of living crisis on those households is going to be in some cases fatal, and that’s not a term I use lightly.”

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She made her remarks amid widespread warnings that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the resulting Western sanctions, will add fuel to an inflation fire that was already burning intensely as a consequence of COVID crisis disruption.

Oil prices hit levels this week not seen for 14 years while natural gas costs shot up to record levels across Europe.

Crucial commodities such as wheat and many metals have surged in value too, which will all knock family budgets further in the weeks and months ahead as the cost of fuel, food and energy bills go up.

An energy price cap increase of 54% is imposed from 1 April, affecting 22 million homes, prompting the chancellor to announce aid ahead of his spring statement to MPs in a fortnight’s time.

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Ms Monroe said she was also concerned about the impact the cost of living crisis will have on people with a disability.

She said: “”People who are disabled are five times more likely to be at risk of food insecurity.”

“That’s a catch 22 situation because food insecurity is linked to adverse effects later in life so can exacerbate the likelihood of chronic illness, mental illness, depression.”

She said it leads to a “never ending loop of difficulty” for those affected.

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