A woman who couldn't afford a warm meal close to Christmas has been left to eat cat food instead.
The resident was heating up the pet food so she could have something warm to eat in winter.
Many Brits are facing the difficult decision of whether to heat their homes or feed themselves in the cost of living crisis.
The woman is one of many residents who has turned to the Friday hub community group for support, reports Birmingham Live.
It has become an "invaluable" service for families on the Solihull estate in Birmingham amid a desperate backdrop of inflation and rising energy bills.
Chelmsley Wood parish councillor Michael Connolly told of his shock at meeting the woman at the community hub.
"One person who lives local to here was heating cat food," he said.
"People can't afford to have the heating on all day. They can't afford to eat hot food every day."
Cllr Connolly told of the importance of the hub which offers a warm environment with free hot drinks and a warm lunch for the over 60s.
Visitor numbers have ballooned since it launched six weeks ago and dozens of people in the local community have come forward.
Entertainment is also provided including music, crafts and games.
"It's absolutely fantastic. We've got people who have nowhere else to go. We've got people who don't have anybody to spend time with," Cllr Connolly said.
"Some people have partners that have passed away. [There are] various reasons why they want to get out of the house from time to time.
"There's not a great deal on offer around the area. When we started this we had 13 people the other week. Then we had 52 and it's been going for five weeks.
"They love it. It's all about having fun. They decide what they want to do. We just go with the flow."
The group enjoy dancing and singing before sitting down for a free, warm lunch.
And rather than being referred to as pensioners, the group decided to re-christen themselves as "the recycled teenagers."
But amid the fun and games, there was a serious message that people are struggling.
The National Grid has also warned that homes could lose power for three hours at a time this winter if energy supplies run extremely low.
One worried parent has been stockpiling candles and torches because she cannot shake the fear that a blackout is on its way.
It follows a week of subzero temperatures after freezing Arctic air arrived across the UK triggering snowfall with the mercury dropping as low as -5C.
