Householders voice concern over rising prices after Sunak’s spring statement
One single mother said she believes higher fuel costs will lead to increased food prices.
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Your support makes all the difference.The rising cost of food, fuel and energy are among the top concerns for members of the public following the Chancellor’s spring statement.
Delyth Jones, 43, who lives in Deiniolen in Wales, said she is concerned about the “bigger picture” and how the cost of fuel will impact on food prices.
The single mother, who has two teenage children and is the unpaid carer and guardian of her five-year-old son, said the family may have to give up luxuries like socialising on weekends.
Commenting on fuel duty being cut by 5p, Ms Jones told the PA news agency: “I think it’s gone up a lot more than that over the last few weeks anyway.
I just think... over the next few weeks what else is going to go up and how are we going to fit that into our budget?
“That’s made a huge difference for me because I have to take my daughter to college, my son to work, and then I’m a carer for my youngest so I have to cart him here, there and everywhere as well.”
She said she has had to buy a lot more petrol over the last couple of weeks, adding: “That’s obviously worrying me.
“When it comes to the weekend maybe we won’t be able to do the social stuff that we used to do because the cost of everything is going up.
“There’s not going to be that much excess money to do the nice things with.
“And obviously there’s shopping, and I’m just worried about the impact because the petrol thing is going to affect the groceries isn’t it… I think it just has a knock-on effect on everything.
“Supermarkets… it’s going to have an effect on them, which means on the milk and things like that, the farmers’ costs.
“I think about the bigger picture and I just think, wow, over the next few weeks what else is going to go up and how are we going to fit that into our budget?”
Ms Jones said her daughter has also become worried about the cost of living and how they will manage.
“She’s 16 and it’s worrying her, and you just think ‘wow’,” she said.
Ms Jones said she is concerned about being able to buy extra petrol for her car.
“The concern is how long I’ll be able to maintain that because with everything else going up will I have enough money to be able to do that, and obviously living where we live I have to have fuel in order to be able to go to other places, even to work,” she said.
Ms Jones said her family live in the mountains and get extreme weather.
“We will use a lot of electric and gas, and because we’re in the mountains we can’t get mains gas so we’re limited on choice,” she said.
Ms Jones, who works part-time as a clerical officer at Bangor University and is currently studying for a masters, said her two teenage children are young carers and are supported by the charity Action for Children.
Phil Soskin, 75, lives in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, and said he has concerns about how expensive things will get in future.
“Fuel cuts seem a bit inadequate and won’t stop price rises on business, which will be passed on,” he said.
“Pleased about the tax, VAT and other cuts although they do seem rather token.
“Along with most people I am apprehensive how much my household energy costs will rise. What is affordable now might not be in future.”