A Consett mum has told of her despair that despite working all of her life, she is still struggling to make ends meet.
Pip Moreton, 42, who lives in the Moorside area of the town, says she is terrified of what the future holds for herself and her eight-year-old daughter when the fuel price cap rises to nearly £2000 a year in April.
Pip, who works part time as a school cook, had to self-isolate five times during the pandemic, but was only eligible for the Covid Self-isolation Support Grant on one occasion, which, she says, has left a £2000 hole in her budget that she can't see any way to fill.
Working just doesn't pay now, says struggling single mum
"I am in arrears with my council tax and had to fill in a household budget to arrange a payment plan, and I worked out I actually had £87 more going out every month than I had coming in," she said.
"It's horrific. The council refused to accept my payment plan offer because they said I can't afford it, but council tax is a priority debt and can lead to bailiffs and court - what am I supposed to do?
"I can't cut back any more than I am doing already. My food budget is £100 per month for the two of us, we have prepayment meters for both electric and gas that I struggle to keep up with. The money is just not stretching any more.
"If something happens like my daughter needs new trainers or the car needs work or - God forbid - I need to replace my 10-year-old coat, something else in the budget needs to give. It's that tight."
Single mum Pip, who also has a 25-year-old son who lives elsewhere, said she is caught in a poverty trap and can't see a way out.
"I had to go onto part-time work when my daughter was born as I couldn't afford childcare, although I was in a lot better financial situation then than I am now," she said.
"My wages are topped up by Universal Credit by nearly the same amount as I earn. I can't earn more because overtime has been cut at work and if I got a second job I would have to earn my wage over again to come off Universal Credit. We are trapped.
"I have worked all my life. I was always told that it pays to work. I am embarrassed to be in this situation, but I can't see a way out.
"Where is the money meant to come from?"
"I wonder when I'm going to be in the position my parents and grandparents were in, when they could live comfortably within their income. If it wasn't for my mum, we would have gone hungry some weeks.
"When I look back to when my son was my daughter's age, everything was so much more comfortable then. We could afford days out at the seaside and the odd treat on a budget.
"I just feel that all the fun has gone out of life and all I seem to say to my daughter is that we can't afford it.
"I can't even buy her a few sweets when we go shopping as I know that money could buy us bread and milk later in the week.
"It just feels like we are existing, not living."
Pip says she is angry with the system which, she feels is not set up to help working people.
"It is soul destroying when you are asking for help, and the first thing you are asked is what benefits are you on," she said.
"I mean, I know that although my position is bad, there are those worse off than I am and I really feel for them and am petrified about how they will manage," she said.
"I run an old car because - believe it or not - it's cheaper than using the bus, I've done the sums. Petrol has gone up, energy is rocketing, food has gone up, National Insurance is going up, interest rates put up, inflation is getting higher.
"I was brought up traditionally. I can cook, I can budget, I have an allotment to grow my own veg to stretch the food budget.
"I have all of the radiators in the house turned off, and I only turn them on when we use the room. So I turn the bathroom one on when my daughter is in the bath, then off again, and her bedroom radiator goes on just before she goes to bed, then off again. If it's really cold, we sleep together to keep warm.
"I have paid into the system all of my life, and although I am embarrassed to admit how much I am struggling, I am not ashamed as it's beyond my control.
"But I am angry and I think many people are. How can the energy companies make billions in profits yet people are left to freeze in their homes because the costs are so high. It's not right.
"It would take a miracle to bring wages and cost of living back into line now and I can't see it happening.
"What I can see is crime, severe mental health and poverty rising rapidly as a result of this all while energy companies get richer.
"There will be families who can't afford to wash their children's clothes or feed them, in 2022.
"I'm just really worried for us all."
