At about midday, Grace walks into Pickwick Pawnbrokers in Dartford and places a thin 14-carat gold chain on the desk. The 73-year-old needs £40 to top up her smart meter, so she is handing over a Christmas present from her late husband. It usually has a diamond pendant on it. “It looks like the sun,” she explains.
“I feel sad to be giving it up,” she says. “I feel annoyed that the government is not doing more to help us when they know everyone is struggling.”
