Mon, 31 Mar 2025

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 'Food club is our life saver ahead of bill hikes'

A woman who uses a food bank charity to get by says it should not be embarrassing to ask for help.

* A couple, Debra and Steven Burke, rely on a food club called The Bread and Butter Thing to get by due to rising household bills.
* They pay £8.50 for 3 bags of food, which allows them to afford their utility bills, including heating costs.
* Mrs Burke said the service is a "life-saver" but expressed concerns about how they will cope after prices rise in April.
* The Bread and Butter Thing's founder, Mark Game, warned that low-earning working families are struggling to get by and that price rises will make their situation worse.
* Over 7 million households in north-west England will see a £86 average increase in water bills next month.
* Energy costs will also rise when the latest energy price cap takes effect, with many facing almost 5% higher council tax bills.
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