Wed, 24 Sep 2025

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 'Food prices have shot up - families face crisis'

We visit organisations in Shropshire who say families are facing crisis in winter.
Charities have reported skyrocketing demand for help, with one charity seeing referrals increase by 176% between 2023 and 2024. A Shropshire Council report revealed nearly 25,000 homes are living in fuel poverty, while End Child Poverty data shows approximately one in three children in the county live below the breadline. The two-child limit for universal credit is being called into question by charities, with some hoping for benefit reforms to be announced in November's autumn budget. Food prices have risen for five consecutive months and energy price cap will increase again on October 1st, prompting fears of increased poverty over winter. Shropshire Council is grappling with its own financial crisis, aiming to make £35.2m worth of savings this year to avoid bankruptcy by April 2026.
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