Rising cost of living: 5 Live Drive visits Derby
For many people across the UK, this is a worrying time, with the price of food, fuel and energy going up.
The latest inflation figures show a climb to a new 40-year high of 9.4% in the 12 months to June. Inflation is expected to reach 11% this year.
BBC Radio 5 Live Drive went to Derby to find out how the increasing costs of living are impacting people there.
‘Nobody wants to say they can’t afford to buy food’
Tracy Gibson started a food bank six years ago and helps at several more in Derby.
She says people’s mental health is suffering: “We have people that come to us that are suicidal, they can’t go any further.”
Reflecting on that six year period, Tracy says “there was a need for a food bank back then, but the need has increased a thousand times over since the pandemic”.
They had to make the change from giving out free food for people, to now opening a community pantry.
“You pay £5 a week and you get between £50 - £75 worth of food for that £5,” she says.
“We’ve got a third of people in full-time work, a third of people on benefits and a third in part-time work and being supported by benefits.
“It’s not about the unemployed anymore. It’s two-people households, both working, neither of them can afford the food.”
She says that they now have 125 families on their books, and they had to close the applications.
“We can’t sustain it, we can’t help more people,” Tracy adds.
'Cost of living: ‘Nobody wants to say, 'I can’t afford food''
Tracy Gibson started a food bank in Derby six years ago.
“People are talking to each other and sharing stories. The mental health support is there just from people being around each other.
“When they walk out, they feel uplifted because they know that they are not alone.”
Tracy is worried about the cost of living herself, having seen an increase in her energy bills.
“My family is massively affected. Our gas and electric bills have gone from £90 a month to nearly £300 because we missed one payment.”
‘I’m speechless - people haven’t got simple things like knives and forks’
Lorna Smith runs the Community Cans Can Help food bank and offers support to people visiting.
She also won a BBC Make a Difference Award last year, which honours people who have gone above and beyond for their local community.
Lorna says it’s not just food that people are struggling to afford: “The majority of people that are coming in are struggling. They haven’t got simple things like knives and forks.
“We had some quilts. People said they need them because they won’t be able to use their electric or gas.”
‘There is no room in people’s budgets’
Martin Rawson is a trustee of Revive Charity.
He says that they are worried about whether they can carry on providing for people.
Martin says: “People are stretched to the limit now; the prices are going to go up even more. It’s difficult to know how people will cope.”
‘We’ve got 10% of the schools in the city who get breakfast through our scheme’
Entrepreneur Kavita Oberoi set up Breakfast Club, an initiative to provide breakfast to primary school children in Derby. She funded the pilot for a year to get it off the ground.
“We had 10 children who used to attend the club in one of our initial schools. That school has now gone up to 200 children.
“Every day 200 children are coming to Breakfast Club now. That has increased post-pandemic and it will increase even further,” she says.
Kavita says that “the club is solely funded by business”. She is always campaigning to get local businesses on board.
“We work with other charities that fight food waste, we’ll get cereals that are short dated or are bashed and can’t be sold. We constantly try to think of ways outside the box to try to get the food to the children.”
Kavita has two girls herself. She says that she could not imagine sending her children to school without breakfast.
