“We can’t cope.” That's the message from people in Strelley who provided a stark outlook on the cost of living crisis which continues to bite.
As the colder, winter months draw in, pensioners in the Broxtowe suburb simply can't afford their heating bill.
Prime Minister Liz Truss has promised to freeze the energy price cap at £2,500. If she hadn't intervened, the price cap would have risen to £3,553 in the latest hike previously announced by regulator Ofgem.
Retired Lilian Bishop, 72, said: “I dare not put my heating on yet. My pension can’t cover these prices.
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“My bills have gone up to the hundreds and I can just about pay it, add food prices into the mix and you’re barely left with anything. Soon, we’ll be on rations like the old days. You would have thought that throughout the years, the state of the economy and quality of life will get better, it’s getting worse.”
With the lines becoming blurred in society of who’s struggling and who’s not, local food banks are seeing a rise of people in full time employment and our key workers lining up for parcels. And it's a tough time for businesses, too, with electricity bills having risen by a considerable amount.
Having run the family business for more than 30 years, the owners of Strelley Cobs in Broxtowe Lane spoke out about how the cost of living is affecting them. Owner Jeevan Mahal, who is 32, said: “We’ve had no choice but to increase prices - people aren’t coming in as much, it’s not good at all.
“Everything is going up and it’s not fair on our customers but we also need to make profit. Our electricity used to be £600 but it’s gone up to £3,000. Everything needs to come down.
“We used to pay 72p for 2 litres of milk and sell it for 99p. Now, we’re selling it for £1.49 because the prices have just gone up. It's very, very hard.”
Jeevan’s mum, Jaswinder Mahal, added: “We’re worried, everyone’s worried. Everything has to go down. Milk and bread are some of the main things that are going up at the moment.” Speaking about her customers, Jaswinder, 60, said: “We have great customers, the people are good, this is a good community.”
Lacey Mellors, 28, explained she worked two jobs - as a sales assistant and a waitress. And the Strelley resident said: "You need every penny. Even working two jobs, I can’t afford to save the amount I need for emergencies and things like that. I’ve not been on holiday in six years. It’s like my bills just jumped up overnight with no warning or anything.”
She continued: “We can’t cope and, even though the government must watch the news and see people struggling, no amount of money in these help schemes will make a difference, prices need to go back down. The new price cap is too high, the year before that it was lower and with these food prices increasing on top of everything else what are people supposed to do?
“This winter, so many people are going to feel it and usually other people will go ‘stop complaining, get a job’ - the thing is, us people with jobs are the ones struggling, too.”
As well as the two year energy price freeze, ministers will press on with the £400 energy bills discount over winter. But, despite this, local authorities across the county are making provision for ‘warm rooms’ for people who can’t afford their heating.
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