Pensioners cut heating and lights as inflation hits 3.5%
A 79-year-old grandfather and an 83-year-old widower describe living in single rooms and switching off lights as inflation reaches its highest in almost a year.
At a glance
- Inflation rose to 3.5% in September, its highest in almost a year, as higher fuel prices pushed up living costs.
- Pensioners Errol McGuiness, 79, and Bryan, 83, describe living in one room and avoiding heating and lights.
- Almost two-thirds of low-income families say they struggle to afford essentials, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation says.
As household budgets come under renewed pressure and evenings grow colder, pensioners across the UK are cutting back on heating and lighting to keep their costs down.
Errol McGuiness, a 79-year-old grandfather, collects rainwater, spends much of his time in a single room and piles on extra layers rather than turning up the heating. "I keep lots of clothes on, but don't tell my daughter," he said.
His most striking measure comes at night, when he avoids using lights altogether. "You don't need a light on to watch telly," he said. "You know the way to the toilet and the kitchen, so you don't need a light on."
Errol says he has a health condition and that his daughter regularly reminds him to switch the heating on.
Inflation at its highest in almost a year
New figures published this week showed inflation rose to 3.5% in September, its highest level for almost a year, while higher fuel prices have pushed up living costs for many households. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised measures aimed at easing pressure on household finances, including removing standing charges from gas bills.
Charities report growing demand
Four years into the cost-of-living crisis, almost two-thirds of low-income families say they struggle to afford essentials such as food, heating and clothing, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Almost half said they had skipped meals or reduced portion sizes to save money.
Among them is Bryan, an 83-year-old widower, who says he now lives largely in a single room to keep bills down. "I put a cardigan on and whatever it is you put on to keep yourself warm, shut the door, put the fan heater on to warm the house up," he said. "When you see the price keep going up, I think, 'well, I'm sitting in one room'."
At Affordable Foods in Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, centre manager Melissa Baydilly says stories like Errol's and Bryan's are becoming increasingly common. The organisation runs a food bank, a social supermarket and an outreach service helping people with debt, benefits and employment issues.
"Every supermarket you go into, everything's gone up," she said, describing price rises of at least 25% to 30%. She believes pensioners are among those feeling the strain most acutely, and questions whether people in their 60s and 70s should have to choose between basic items after a lifetime of work.
Source: BBC Business.
Questions and answers
- What is the UK inflation rate?
- Figures published this week showed inflation rose to 3.5% in September, its highest level for almost a year. Higher fuel prices have pushed up living costs for many households.
- What has the government promised to do about energy bills?
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised measures aimed at easing pressure on household finances, including removing standing charges from gas bills.
- How are pensioners cutting their household costs?
- Errol McGuiness, 79, collects rainwater, lives in one room, wears extra layers and avoids using lights at night. Bryan, 83, says he largely lives in one room and uses a fan heater.
