Stories

Wed, 03 Jun 2026

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 'Without free meal, it's a cup of soup for dinner'

Community cafe in Boston says numbers rose from about 60 to more than 90 at the start of the year.

* A 64-year-old woman on universal credit says she struggles to make ends meet and often has only soup and bread for dinner.
* She receives free hot meals from a cafe, but still relies on friends for food assistance.
* The number of people seeking help from the cafe has increased by around 50% in January and February.
* A single dad who visits the cafe says he lives "from pay cheque to pay cheque" due to rising costs such as petrol and energy bills.
* A 90-year-old widow attends the cafe to combat loneliness and worries about her finances.
* The government claims household incomes have risen by 5% in real terms, but critics argue that universal credit is still a major issue for many people.
* A £1bn crisis fund will be used to support local authorities in helping households avoid financial crisis.