Heartbroken mum can’t afford to buy toys for her son, 4, as energy bills soar
A mum has told of her heartbreak at not being able to afford toys for her four-year-old son due to the cost of living crisis.
Chantelle I’Anson-Hughes, who lives in Accrington, Lancashire, described how the rising prices are getting “ridiculous” and says she is forced to forage and grow her own food.
The mum-of-two and her son Noah, four, joined more than 100 people in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester at the weekend for a protest to highlight the rising costs of living.
“It’s getting worse and worse. Uniform is not cheap. Jumpers cost a fortune,” Chantelle told the Manchester Evening News.
“We are having to make sure that it lasts. Everything is getting really, really expensive. The sun coming out will give us a break.
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“We do forage instead of buying fruit. We grow potatoes, tomatoes, spring onions, apples, and pears.”
Chantelle explained how she isn’t able to afford to buy her son the things he would like due to rising bills.
“He has been asking for toys and I cannot afford it,” she said.
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“It is now everything, it’s ridiculous. We are all feeling it. I cannot afford these things any more.”
Sonia Griffin, who travelled from Lancashire to Manchester for the protest, says she is also feeling the squeeze and says "everything is going up" in price.
The Blackburn mum already has two teenagers and is pregnant with another baby on the way.
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“The cost of living is exceeding my income. Everything is going up. They cannot kick people out on the street," she said.
"I am worried about the next generation and the world is in chaos. I’m spending £300 on uniforms for the kids."
The biggest jump for families saw energy bills rise by hundreds of pounds last week, after the regulator Ofgem upped its price cap for those with typical use by £693.
For those on a default tariff who pay by direct debit, the Ofgem price cap has gone up from £1,277 to £1,971.
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Prepayment customers have seen a bigger jump, with their price cap going up by £708, from £1,309 to £2,017.
Council tax bills have also risen by 3.5% on average for a Band D home, while water bills have gone up too.
Other costs that you may have noticed are now more expensive include your broadband and mobile tariff.
Mortgage repayments have increased for those on a tracker rate that goes up or down in line with inflation.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of inflation has just surged to 6.2% and there are predictions that it will keep on rising this year.
CPI is the rate at which the prices of goods and services bought rise or fall. The Bank of England has a target of 2% inflation.
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