The cost of living crisis is having an impact on all of us. With higher costs for food, energy, rent, mortgage to name a few essential bills, people across the UK are feeling the biggest squeeze on incomes in a generation.
For those already struggling financially, the cost of living crisis means having to make difficult choices. These are just a few stories people have shared with us:
The cost of living crisis has had a huge financial impact especially with basic and essential things that we need from basic food all the way to hygiene products. On top of this I have become isolated as I can’t pay for a phone bill. I can’t afford to pay my rent and being evicted.
Due to not being able to work because of a work related injury I have had to rely on benefits. The money I receive doesn’t cover the outgoings as there is a £150 a month shortfall. This has affected my mental health as I have to choose between being warm or having food.
Price of food has massively increased making it difficult to provide full months worth of food. Money coming in is not enough with rise in bills to see us through the month. This is even just for basics.
I’m a single parent to 3 children, one with ADHD/ASD and requires a lot of attention. I work but due to personal health and my daughter, I can’t work any more hours. I have nothing left after bills. I miss some bills some months to pay for food and live.
Fuel and food costs so are so high, I can’t afford food and am now in debt. There’s no help towards costs, lease or mortgage.
It’s impossible to survive.
We decided enough is enough! And so, Local Voices was born. A passionate group determined to be the voice of change for our community. We are real people with real stories.
Our mission: To capture local voices through listening to our neighbours. To demand solutions that work for everyone by challenging decisions that impact negatively on our lives. To build a Local Voices movement that calls for fairness and accountability for all of us across our community.
Local Voices is a project with funding from the Trussell Trust and sits within Compassion Acts charity here in Southport.
We are engaging with our local community here in North Sefton and across the border in West Lancashire to capture the stories (the ‘Voice’) of our neighbours. We are doing this by:
If you are passionate about driving change and want to use your Voice as a force for good, there are various ways you can help:
