THE rise in prices for basic food, coupled with soaring fuel bills, are leaving many families and individuals struggling this winter.
Between heating the home and feeding the family, many have cut back to the bare essentials, while others are quite literally making the choice between heat and eat.
With dire warnings of further price rises in the months ahead, we spoke to a number of groups across the West of the city to find out how the cost of living crisis is affecting them and their service users.
Theresa Hyland from the Glen Community Centre’s Tuesday Club said that she feels sorry for people who own their own property.
“They have to pay their mortgage, heat their house and feed their kids. It’s not only people on benefits who it is affecting. People who are working from home are using more electric and heating.
“Older people are inclined to think oh I’ll put on the heating for a wee bit and then they will go without eating or else they are living on soup.
“During the lockdown, Glenparent delivered food parcels and I think that we will end up delivering more food parcels in the times ahead because people can’t afford to live.
“This is just the basics and it is not like they were handing out luxuries.”
Another member of Lenadoon's Tuesday Club recounted how they are filling hot water bottles to keep warm and having to think of cost-saving measures, such as turning off their plug-in air freshener to save on electricity.
Ann Murray, SureStart Family Support Worker at the Maureen Sheehan Centre in the lower Falls, said that the price rises are also having an impact on the services that they can deliver.
“Our staff’s family members have been making donations of money to help us and we have been able to create a small emergency fund.
“Just before Christmas we were running a hot food giveaway scheme where we would cook a meal and deliver it out to families in need.
“Now, with the rising cost in our rent and utilities, we don’t have the budget to run that service.”
Meanwhile, Annie Armstrong from the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership said: “We are experiencing extremely high levels of families needing support to provide food, heating and other essentials for their children.
“Families are at their wits' end wondering how they’re going to cope on a weekly basis, these aren’t just those on benefits but many working families also. The current hike in food and utilities will see thousands more families classed as living in poverty.
“My main concern is for next week when the kids are off school for mid-term break and will not be able to access free school meals. For many children the free school meal is their main and essential meal of the day.”
