Additional resident contributions

Jack is a single parent to two children, residing in Dewsbury East ward. He works part-time and has a mortgage. Jack is struggling with the current cost-of-living crisis as he finds things are now very expensive, which has impacted his ability to do normal activities with his children, such as driving to the seaside for a day out. The cost of fuel for the journey has doubled, and the overall trip would now cost him £250 compared to £50 previously.

Jack believes that not everyone is impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, and those with greater privilege often have it easier. He has noticed that basic food shopping items such as milk and cheese have gone up in price, and he can't understand why. Jack thinks that someone is getting richer off the fact that a lot of people are getting poorer.

Jack is concerned that the situation will worsen over time, possibly resulting in widespread malnutrition and ill health, and will require assistance from other countries. He emphasizes that people are raising their product prices to cover their own expenses.

The cost of everything prevents Jack from having time for himself, which makes him feel socially isolated. He also worries about the impact of the situation on younger generations. He believes that people are being exploited because all he sees on television are advertisements for summer holidays, new cars, etc., which leads them to take out loans they can't afford.

In addition to his monthly universal credit benefit, Jack receives support from the Community Coordinator and via some Department for Work and Pension (DWP) funding. His perception of people on benefits has changed since he started claiming benefits. Now he appreciates that everyone has their own story.

Jack has had mixed experiences when applying for support. He feels that being a working homeowner who pays his bills by direct debit counts against him, and he has been told he is ineligible for cold weather payments. This is upsetting because it takes things away from his children because he cannot afford them. He does not want his children to feel like they are "second class". He has also been frustrated by the school meal voucher system during the holidays. Although his children go to school in Wakefield, he has to apply to Kirklees for these vouchers during the holidays.

Jack wants clarification on how the funding decision for benefits is being made, how the amount given is determined, the criteria, and what qualifies one person for £200 while another qualifies for £400. He feels that he is fighting a losing battle against the cost-of-living crisis.

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "Even as much as making a cup of coffee now, you know it's three times the price."
• "Then you've got the price of, you know, your gas, your electric, the price of petrol in the car. You can't. You can't go anywhere."
• "Just to go to the seaside with two kids, you're talking probably £250 for a day out and you just can't afford to do that anymore."
• "You almost just feel penalised for being poor."
• "The MPs just put their gas and electric on their expenses so they don't, they don't feel the cost of it You just feel like you're fighting a losing battle."
• "The cost of, like, your normal weekly food shop is the scariest thing, you know?"
• "Your milk, your cheese, you know, stuff like that it's gone up from maybe £3-4 to buy all that to, you know, it's now, it's now pushing £9 and you just can't, you can't comprehend the cost."
• "We're just getting railroaded left, right and centre, and I just think that somebody somewhere is getting very, very rich off the fact that the majority of people are getting very, very poor."
• "There's just a cost hanging over everything you do It just makes you feel a bit more reclusive and a bit more closed in My fear is what it's doing to the generations after me."
• "Nothing seems to be cheap and cheerful anymore."
• "I spotted the other day that like it seems to be like £1.50 is the new £1."
• "Where are we supposed to find this money?"
• "All you get on the TV is... 'Have you booked your next summer holiday, have you? You know, what about a new car? What about this? What about a loan?'"
• "You can't afford to pay for the food on the table, so how we're going to afford to pay for these loans that we can apparently get?"
• "I never thought I would be on the benefit system and you do have a misconception of the people that are within it You know, everybody's got a different story."
• "It's just frustrating, because I can't see a way out of it."
• "I think we're on an absolute downward spiral."
• "The health and well-being of people, and malnutrition, and stuff like that it's going to be crazy They'll be putting adverts on in other countries asking them to send aid and stuff to us."
• "[The Community Coordinator] has helped me in the sense of getting in touch with me and having chats with me I got some funding through from the DWP and Kirklees Council I think it was £300 to help with the cost of living."
• "I'm a bit stubborn in the sense of I don't like, I don't like asking for help unless I'm in a desperate need for it."
• "I could probably seek out more help I just think that there's, there's people in worse situations than me that, that need that probably more than I do."
• "When I look at the bank and there's, you know, there's a fiver in it, and there's two weeks left to the end of the month. And I'm like, 'Right, well, I need to, I need to try and get someone to put the food on the table, to be able to put the heating on, and, and whatever else' That's the time when I go for it really."
• "I went down to a food bank I wasn't overly impressed It felt to me like they were giving it to me for me to put in my bin rather than them putting it in theirs I felt very wasteful, and I felt very ungrateful."
• "I don't see why you should be penalised for buying healthy food, but it seems to me that that's more expensive than, than buying processed."
• "I could fill my freezer with. fish fingers and chicken nuggets and frozen chips for a few pound, and eat beige food for a week, but there's no, there's no excitement in that And my kids won't thank me for it."
• "So because you work and I've got a mortgage property, and I pay my bills by direct debit. All those go against me That should go in my favour because they know I'm not gonna be going anywhere."
• "Because I pay by direct debit I feel discriminated against."
• "It's upsetting in the sense of there's no extra support for homeowners."
• "It's hurtful for me, not for the money, but I see that it's taking things away from my kids because I can't afford to do things for them."
• "It's about fairness, and it's about my kids not feeling like they're second class I try and hide it from them as much as I can."
• "I don't get the Council tax support because I earn too much."
• "When I contacted them about the cold weather payment, I were told that, 'Well, the fact that your daughter's over 5 and the fact that you work and the fact that you, you know, you're not in rented accommodation You don't qualify'."
• "If the people accessing it [food charity] are in worse situations than I am, then... I don't want to be taking food off somebody else's table."
• "My kids go to school out of area, which just causes no end of issues when it's the vouchers."
• "The other Council basically said, 'Well, you don't live in this area. You're not under our jurisdiction, even though your kids go to school there, so they're not our problem in the holidays' What difference does it make when they're not in school? You know, it's the same two kids."
• "It's a lot harder to see the light when you're this far down."

Marissa is a disabled single adult residing in Heckmondwike Ward, and she rents a flat from Kirklees Council. Despite receiving some financial assistance from her parents, Marissa describes her current financial situation as 'absolutely horrendous', and it is having a significant impact on her life. Marissa is unable to work due to illness, and her financial struggles mean that she usually only eats one meal a day, which is not nutritionally adequate for her needs.

Although Marissa is aware of the availability of food parcels from food banks, she is reluctant to use this support because of the stigma attached to it. Marissa is a proud person and does not want to be seen as a "scrounger." As a result she is more likely to donate to food banks than receive assistance. Marissa's financial difficulties also mean that she cannot afford quality food, which is affecting her weight and overall health.

In addition to her financial struggles, Marissa's living conditions are also a concern. Her apartment has a leaking roof that destroys some of her appliances when it rains heavily. Marissa reported this issue to the council over a month ago, but she has yet to receive a response. She also experiences damp and mould in her home, and her energy bills have tripled, forcing her to only use candlelight and to limit her heating to one hour a day to prevent further dampness.

Marissa is also struggling with her mental health, and she feels sad because she no longer socialises. Marissa's financial struggles prevent her from engaging in social activities, which are essential for her well-being. She also finds it challenging to get a GP appointment, and when she does, she feels rushed and brushed aside.

Despite these difficulties, Marissa is grateful for the support of the Community Coordinator, who has been "absolutely amazing".

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "I don't work due to illness"
• "Not being able to work and not having that financial freedom because you've only got a set amount of money, is absolutely horrendous. And then the bills are just going up and up and up. It's just, it's really affecting me."
• "My bills are just sky high and I don't understand why they're so high when I actually have always been in credit up until now. To now be telling me that I'm using like triple the amount of what I actually am, when I'm actually doing less."
• "Since December, my bills have trebled with the gas and electric."
• "I have my telly on and I've got candles on, and that's it. I don't have my heating on. I might have it on for an hour a day because I don't want my flat to get damp and then cause mould."
• "I've got a bowel illness and obviously you need to be clean and I'm using the shower and washing machine more often like other people."
• "My mum and dad are giving me money to get shopping. That's how bad it's getting."
• "My mum and dad will give me extra money, but my dad is retired now and his was the only income, so all he gets now is the state pension."
• "Going to the supermarket, I can't just pick up what I think, 'Oh, that's good'. I have to check prices now and I'm getting the cheaper versions of everything. And, adding up as I'm going along to make sure I've got enough money to pay for what I need."
• "I'm not having three meals a day, I'm having about one meal a day at the minute."
• "I make a lot of homemade soups because it's just cheaper to get veg that's going like nearly to the day."
• "I've a got bowel illness, so I can't have a normal diet like everybody else."
• "I'm eating, out-of-date food which normally, I would never have done in a million years. But it's either that or don't eat at all."
• "I'll go online and see what I need and what is actually cheaper at which shop, which doesn't always help, because then you're having to use more fuel."
• "That's also having an impact on my weight and things because I'm buying cheaper food and more convenient food and obviously that kind of food isn't healthy."
• "There's no meeting my friends and going out for tea There's no social aspect of anything that costs and it's sad, it's sad."
• "I can't even afford to have my dogs living with me, my dogs have to live with my mum and dad."
• "My mental health's not very good at the minute anyway, so all this on top, it just like kind of adds to the situation."
• "I've been brought up to not beg and not ask for help but I think that's just due to my 'old-school' upbringing by my mum and dad. I wouldn't dream of using a food bank. I'd probably be more likely to donate to one than use one."
• "The only thing that scares me about stuff like that is what if I see someone I know [at a food bank] I'll be embarrassed That stigma of being somewhere like that."
• "I don't like bothering people with my issues."
• "Accepting a hand-out to me is frowned upon. Frowned upon really badly. I'm a very proud person."
• "It's only due to illness that I'm unable to work, and I hate. I hate it. I absolutely hate it, and I just feel that you shouldn't be asking for help, and it's making me feel like a failure if I have to ask for help."
• "I always feel that no matter how bad it is for me, there's probably someone else that's worse off that would benefit from it more, so I just don't ask for help... it's like being a scrounger."
• "I see people defrauding the system and getting help given left, right and centre. And then there's people like me, who is genuinely, genuinely rock bottom."
• "I'm struggling very badly with my mental health at the minute."
• "Trying to get an appointment at my doctor's is like trying to see Santa Claus."
• "If you do get an appointment, obviously you can't talk about more than one thing, but you can't ask for a double appointment, so it's like you've been rushed constantly. It's like the person's not listening to you because they are already thinking about the next person that's coming in."
• "It's hard because then you think, 'Well, what's the point of me trying to ask for help', and I'm just being disregarded and brushed aside."
• "I did try and do something stupid because I thought well, if I'm asking for help and they're not helping me with, then what's the point?"
• "When you need that help and it's not there, it's hard."
• "I don't think the whole country is set up for anything anymore. It's really going down the pan and I think we're going to have some major problems in everything."
• "Living in a rented property, there's always going to be problems. But when you can't get appointments for people to come out and see it, then the matters get worse."
• "I paid for household contents insurance because the roof's always leaking and it's damaging my wall, so I can't not have insurance."
• "I have my rent paid for me, which is good and I don't pay council tax either. So that really helps me."
• "When [the Community Coordinator]'s been seeing me, she's been absolutely amazing... she's gone over and above and beyond what was asked of her."

Iqra is a disabled single parent who lives with her five children in Dewsbury West Ward. She rents a 2-bedroom apartment from a private landlord. Iqra has diabetes and needs to buy special foods to stay healthy. However, due to the cost-of-living crisis, she can no longer afford these foods and has to prioritise buying food for her children.

Unfortunately, not being able to purchase the specialised foods she needs has had a negative impact on Iqra's health. She has also been struggling to afford the high cost of energy and food. Iqra mentioned that her electric meter doesn't seem to indicate what she has left, which has caused her a lot of concern. In the past, she has had to go to her mother's house to spend the night because local stores were closed by the time her electricity ran out in the middle of the night. This was particularly difficult for her because she had a new-born grandchild staying with her.

Iqra has been topping up her electricity with £30-£40 and finds that it barely lasts for three to four days. She worries that things could get worse soon if the situation doesn't change. Her primary concern, however, is her housing situation. Her landlord gave her notice to vacate, but she cannot be legally forced to leave without a court order, which is costly for the landlord. Iqra sought assistance from a housing charity, which is helping her with the legal aspect of the situation.

Iqra has five children, and the oldest has a child who also lives with her. She plans to eventually leave and find a bigger private house, but she's struggling to come up with the upfront rent and deposit. Iqra turns to her Coordinator for any help or support she needs and would reach out to her Coordinator in the future if she needs further assistance. She has previously tried unsuccessfully to get support from her school, council, and housing charity. Iqra believes that her Coordinator is the only person who can truly help her.

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "At the minute it's really, really hard. It's really hard at the moment."
• "At the moment, it's just mostly like electricity and gas, cause that's the only thing we always think about."
• "The other day I checked my meter and had £8.39 and then round about half nine electricity was gone so we had no electricity all night."
• "Just like every at least three to four days after constant topping up between 30 to 40 pounds it just goes so quickly. It's just, I don't understand where it's all going."
• "My kids are not really aware what's going on really 'cause I don't actually show it to them how much we're struggling."
• "I make sure that I'm topping up all the time, so they don't run out of electricity, so my kids don't know that there's no electricity in the house or there's no gas in the house."
• "If I run out of electricity yeah, obviously you can't sit here all night without no heating or nothing. So, I will just go to my mum's, spend the night there, come back the next day, top up and then come back home again."
• "I'm living in a 2-bedroom flat with five children and the new-born baby as well, and the landlord has already gave me a notice to move out."
• "I'm in the same situation but it's just like sometimes you don't think about yourself. You look at your friends and thinking, "Oh my God, they're going through a lot'."
• "My kids are sleeping on sofas. My kids don't even have beds."
• "When it comes to like getting the rent and the deposit and everything, just thinking, 'Where am I going to get this from?'"
• "Do you know one month shopping doesn't last? It doesn't really. There's like really no point doing it because it'll be gone within a week or two and we have to constantly keep buying daily stuff every day as well."
• "Because I'm diabetic, I used to buy like different foods for myself but now, I don't buy that for myself anymore I make sure that I buy my kids food enough to last them for a whole month. So, I basically cut myself off really buying stuff for myself."
• "It's like travel costs it just cost you so much."
• "If I do need help, if I'm stuck somewhere or if I need anything, I will speak to [Co-ordinator] and she can give me the right advice."
• "I don't think I've had any proper support from the school or my support worker."
• "I won't be asking school for any help because they just sometimes take things the wrong way."

During the second interview conducted in March 2023, Iqra shared that her situation had significantly deteriorated since the initial interview in December 2022. She specifically noted that she was facing significant challenges related to food shopping and obtaining daily essentials. Iqra currently lives above a shop and is unable to access her electric meter outside the shop's operating hours, which poses a significant challenge for her. She explained that once the shop closes at 5pm, she cannot check or top up her meter until it reopens at 10am the next morning. To manage her finances more effectively, Iqra has had to spend an average of £20 every other day to top up her meter, which is a considerable expense for her.

Iqra mentioned that she cancelled her direct debits for other utilities, such as broadband and Sky TV, to take more control over her finances and allocate her limited resources more effectively. She explained that the broadband and Sky TV were the only treat for her children to keep them occupied, but she could no longer afford them. She mentioned that her mum was her only source of support, but mainly for company and childcare, and not for financial support.

Iqra also expressed concern about her social life, noting that she has few friends. She has been moving around frequently and has not had the opportunity to establish long-term friendships. Additionally, she is unable to spend money on meeting up with friends. Iqra mentioned anxieties related to using public transportation, particularly when traveling to out-of-area hospital appointments in places such as Barnsley and Sheffield. She expressed fear of getting lost and not being able to arrive at her destination on time, which adds to her overall stress and anxiety.

When asked about her hopes for the future, Iqra expressed a sense of hopelessness and felt that her situation would only worsen. She emphasised the importance of meeting basic needs such as food, warmth, and shelter. If given the opportunity, Iqra would prioritise capping or halting food and utility prices to ensure that individuals have access to the basic necessities of life, particularly those facing financial difficulties. She also expressed a desire for transportation assistance, such as a free shop-hopper bus to Asda or a fund to help cover the costs of travelling to out-of-area medical appointments.

Lastly, Iqra shared that knitting is her go-to activity when she needs a break. She mentioned that it is therapeutic and helps her take her mind off her problems. Iqra expressed aspirations to earn income from knitting in the future, which would help her supplement her income and alleviate some of her financial stress.

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "Even the shopping is so expensive Everything's just gone so expensive."
• "They got higher prices every day Every day the prices are changing here, every day."
• "I do have problems a bit travelling somewhere, so I tend to go to my local shops cause it's closer to my house and it's easier to get there."
• "Like every two days, I top up and it's gone within two days."
• "I've topped up £20 on Friday and by Sunday was gone."
• "Water's gone high. Wi-Fi's and all other bills are high anyway."
• "I had to cancel my water [direct debit] because of asking for too much every month before, I used to pay £100 a month and but then they want me to pay them more."
• "I used to have Sky, I had to cancel that I had to cancel my Wi-Fi."
• "My daughter would say, 'Oh Mummy, let's go out and I'll treat you something to eat' But it's just like there's no point going out because you can't really buy anything and like, you know, you can't go with your friends and like see them buy things and then you're not going to end up buying anything."
• "It does get boring sometimes, but I manage to keep myself busy at home I wish I could go out with my friends."
• "You don't really have the adult talk with someone."
• "My eldest daughter, she's just had a baby now, but because she is already going through so many emotions herself right now, and she's overwhelmed and all that with the baby, I don't really want to put her through that situation. So yeah, I just keep quiet."
• "You can't ask for helping me because everyone's like we all the same situation and I don't want to put anyone else in any other problems."
• "I do struggle to make friends [I] barely go out or anything like that because I don't know where I'm going."
• "The food shopping you do lately like you think, 'Oh I'm going to do my monthly shop', but they don't last two weeks."
• "If I could manage it. at least reduce the prices of the food, so the prices can go down, or maybe bills prices can go down, and we can make enjoy how we used to before."
• "What's gonna happen to my children?... Because imagine we're going through this right now, but just imagine a year or two years later, it's going to be even worse."
• "It's costing me way too much, like £20-£30 on daily basis just to go buy fresh cooking meals and stuff."
• "Free transport, definitely free transport. Yeah, like a free bus that picks people up can drop them off, they do the shopping and they dropping back off again."
• "It's costing us way too much money, like my son has every twelve months have to take him now to Sheffield for routine checks for his leg I have to get two trains there and two trains back, and then get a taxi there as well."
• "Nobody understands because they would just be like, 'Oh, everyone's going through hard times'."
• "Knitting. I love knitting. Yes, I do, yes I would love to make a business that way."

James is a student from the Holme Valley, who lives with his single mother. James shared his concerns that their financial situation could worsen in the current circumstances.

Due to the high energy costs, James has been trying to cut down on the use of heating as much as possible, even though he finds it uncomfortable. In addition, he has been relying on collecting food parcels to help supplement their meals. When asked about the quality of the food bank and its offerings, James remarked that he couldn't complain as the food was free.

To make his daily commute easier, James has purchased a bus pass from the college, which he uses to travel to and from his college, as well as to run errands when possible. James also holds a part-time job at a restaurant, where he works late hours. Sometimes, he finds it difficult to balance his work and college life, especially when he has an early class the next day.

Despite his busy schedule, James admits that he worries about their financial situation at times, which can make it challenging for him to sleep. He has not sought help from anyone or anywhere yet, but he thinks he would turn to his friends or college if he were to seek help in the future.

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "It's cheaper to go on a 5-star holiday abroad [than] to live here."
• "I try not to have the heating on as much anymore."
• "If it's cold outside, I'm cold inside. Then it's tough."
• "I'm always thinking about it, to some degree I guess it can be, like, tiring sometimes Even if I'm physically tired, like, I'm still thinking about it."
• "I work late. I work the restaurant. It's like now if I work Sundays or Thursdays, I've got college in the morning as well."
• "So we get them food banks and food parcel."
• "At the end of the day, it's free food, so you can't really complain"

Hassan, a pensioner from the Dewsbury West ward, lives alone and rents from a registered provider. Since September 2022, he has been residing in sheltered housing, with the assistance of a staff member who initially supported him during his transition. Subsequently, he met with a Local Area Coordinator who assisted him with essential furniture and amenities. Hassan expressed his gratitude for the Coordinator's assistance and referred to her as a lifeline.

Hassan's primary source of income is his pension, which includes a monthly warm winter payment of £500. Additionally, he applied for pension credit with the help of his Coordinator, but he has yet to receive a response. Despite the increase in energy prices, Hassan is managing to cope, as his energy expenses are included in his monthly rental payment. However, he expressed that he does not have much money left after paying his bills.

Hassan recounted an unfortunate experience, where he was financially exploited by a friend who helped him apply for an advance payment of up to £700 during the Covid pandemic. His friend demanded payment of £100 for applying on his behalf, which Hassan made in order to receive the £700 advance payment, but he was unaware he would need to repay the advance payment. As a result, he incurred a debt that is being deducted from his pension payments. This experience has caused Hassan to develop trust issues, and he heavily relies on the Coordinator for support.

Hassan is grateful for the assistance provided by his Coordinator, who ensures that he has everything he needs for daily living. He is much happier now and enjoys spending time in the communal lounge with other residents when he feels lonely. However, he expressed concern about the Coordinator's absence when she is on holiday and not having anyone to turn to for support. Despite his financial limitations, Hassan is content with his current situation and appreciates the support he receives from the coordinator and his pension.

Thoughts on the cost of living

• "My pension is coming is gone, you know. So like is, it's okay. Not going very happy but it's survive. You know."
• "Before pension I had very big problem but not anymore. I do not have too much money but I'm okay now."
• "And then I have no friends, nothing Bad people here."
• "Co-ordinator helped me for bed helped me call for a fridge, this sofa and even microwave. Everything she helped me."