London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 12, 2025

Cost of living: 'Each week, we are fighting to survive'

Cost of living: 'Each week, we are fighting to survive'

A couple say they are "fighting to survive" due to the increasing cost of energy.

Stacey McDonnell and Darren Setford live in Leicester and are full-time carers for family members.

They say that by the time they have paid their £700 a month rent, there is not a lot to spare.

The Clockwise Credit Union, which provides support to people struggling to manage their finances, has advised struggling families to ask for help.


'Genuinely worried'


The couple live with their two daughters. Mr Setford gave up his job as a chef to care for his brother and Ms McDonnell is also a full-time carer.

They get £69 a week each in carers' allowance, £500 each month in housing benefit, plus child benefit and child tax credits as part of their monthly Universal Credit payment.

They said that in the past couple of months, gas and electric bills have gone up from just under £60 a month to around £100.

Ms McDonnell said: "I look every day on my smart meter and even when I've just got the kitchen light on, I can see obviously see it on the meter, and you can see it slowly depleting."

The family keep an eye on their meter to watch their energy usage


Mr Setford said: "We're having to cut down a lot, especially on our gas and electric, to make sure we can afford food because food has gone up as well.

"It's hitting all aspects of the pocket at the moment.

"We're definitely going to feel the pinch at Christmas and it's hard to try to explain that to the children - and we're probably not the only ones in that situation.

"We try and get as much help as we can, like the Household Support Fund and the council tax rebate.

"And it helps, it does help. But it's still not enough.

"Each week we are fighting to survive really. Definitely week by week. Sometimes day by day."


'Extra help'


Emma Franklin-Keogh, from the Clockwise Credit Union in Leicester, said: "People are genuinely worried out there and looking for that kind of support - whether it be with their finances, where they can get food from.

"It is a very regular occurrence that people are asking for some help now."

She advised struggling households to check what help their energy providers might offer.

"There are lots of trusts out there - particularly from the major energy providers - for extra help with your bills," she said.

"If you need help, make sure you're getting out there and getting the help you need. Just raise your voice and speak to someone."

People are also being advised to check whether they are owed council tax rebates, which are being given to people who are in council tax bands A-D.

Around £270m has been handed out this year in council tax rebates across the East Midlands.

A further £8m, allocated to councils to be handed out as "discretionary payments" to those in need, is to be paid out by the end of November.

About £5m of this has not been spent, with some councils saying it has been a challenge to track down people who are eligible.


Sarah Russell, deputy mayor at Leicester City Council - where 96% of the allocation has been paid out, said: "We're hoping the payments will go a small way towards helping. We're looking at a number of other things that we can do.

"But, as ever this winter, more help really is needed by the government for those that are struggling to make ends meet."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
×