THE COST OF LIVING

The cost of living is on everyone’s mind. The University of Birmingham is giving it the festival treatment, with six free events exploring money, inequality and the decisions that shape our lives.

Part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, which runs from Oct 17 to Nov 7, the university’s programme begins on Oct 22 with a 40th-anniversary screening of Handsworth Songs and a discussion of its legacy. On Oct 28, a panel considers how financial hardship intersects with the criminal justice system. The following day, The Assetocracy asks what concentrated wealth means for the House of Lords and British democracy.

Prefer to get involved? Family-friendly event Down the AI Rabbit Hole at MAC on Oct 31 is an interactive game about the algorithms increasingly involved in mortgages, budgeting and pensions. On Nov 3, young people and experts discuss money, work and belonging after education.

Finally, on Nov 4, a roleplaying workshop sends participants back to 1315 to tackle the Great Famine. An unusually effective way to make your current grocery bill seem manageable, perhaps, although we wouldn’t count on it. All six events are a cost of living-friendly free.