The arts receive £400m a year from central government, 0.05 % of its total expenditure.

Let's say that the average price of furniture is $100 per piece and that you buy 10 new pieces per year for a total expenditure of $1,000.

The average household spent £59 a week, or 11 per cent of total expenditure, on food and non-alcoholic drinks in 2013, the Office for National Statistics reported.