“Why won’t the Government help us?” - that was the message from the Mirror’s Cost of Living Panel ahead of today’s local elections.
Our panel is made up of ordinary people who, like all of us, are suffering a squeeze as prices continue to soar.
Over the following months they will be keeping us updated on their own struggles to stay afloat, and commenting on issues affecting them.
Here’s what they have to say...
Claire Pulfrey
Single mum-of-three Claire, 38, from Grimsby says she already does everything she can to save money on food shopping, including going to several supermarkets for her shopping to find the cheapest food in each, but she still struggles to feed her family.
The former special school teaching assistant, who receives carers and disability benefits, says: “I have a son who can’t eat dairy or soy so I can’t eat own-brand food all the time. I have to buy food that’s three or our times more expensive than the own-brand so he doesn’t get ill.
“I think it’s disgusting. How dare he tell people they need to buy own-brand. Some of us already do so and are still struggling.
“What the government should be doing is helping people get out of this by putting a stop on price rises, doing something to cap our energy bills so we have enough to buy food or finding a way to increase people’s money in line with everything else that’s rising.
“Instead of blaming us, why won’t the government help us and do something to help us get out of this? Why can’t they stop price rises, or do doing something to cap our energy bills so we have enough to buy food? Or find a way to increase people’s money in line with everything else that’s rising.
“Everyone’s doing everything they can to save money, not just buying own brand but sacrificing many other things, but it’s not working. We need real help.”
Carly Newman
Single mum Carly, 36, who lives in London with her four-year-old son Ezra, says George Eustice ’s comments shows how “disconnected he is from reality.”
Carly, who works full time but needs universal credit to help pay the bills, says: “It’s a massive cop out, the government is just running away from the fact that because of their decisions the cost of living is so high and people’s salaries and benefits aren’t meeting that.
“It’s crazy. It’s always the poorest people who are blamed for his, like ‘it’s your fault because you’re spending too much money, because you’re buying branded food’. Of course, ministers can all afford branded food.”
She says the reality is “not that simple. I’m a single parent, I don’t have the time to always be going to Aldi or Lidl with my four-year-old, trying to work and balance all these things, sometimes I have to stop off at a convenience store or local Sainsburys.
“There’s also far less choice available. My son likes peanut butter, but the own-brand ones are made with palm oil, and I don’t want that because palm oil is a terrible thing. So is he saying that because we’re poorer we aren’tallowed to make choices based on ethics or quality?
“And the price of own brand products are going up too. Own brand butter was £2.70 and now it’s £3.00. Prices are rising at the same rate, so maybe now own-brand is the same price as branded used to be, it still doesn’t work. The minister’s comments come from a really small-minded perspective on the world. They just don’t understand what life is like for normal people.
Tracy Davies
Fibromyalgia sufferer Tracy, who lives in Cheshire with her husband and full-time carer Paul and their two adult children, who have autism. She says Eustice’s comments show that the government is “out of touch”.
Tracy, 57, says: “They probably get more in expenses in a day than we get paid in a week. And they haven’t got a clue about shopping, I bet they wouldn’t know how much a loaf of bread was. It’s ignorant to tell people they should be buying own-brand. Next they’ll have us on the street corner selling flowers.”
Tracy says she already looks for the cheapest products. “Anything that’s on offer, it’s the first thing I look at. But even then we don’t have enough to get buy. So I just cut things out now. My husband and I prefer not to buy food for us than let our children go without.”
She says she can’t always buy own-brand for her severely autistic daughter, who needs to have a special diet.
“There are things you can’t get own-brand versions of, and a lot of those things have gone up a lot.
“I’m wanting to try a gluten free diet for her to see it it makes a difference to her behaviour, but I can’t because the food is so expensive.”
She says ministers “need to get real. They need to know what people’s circumstances are before they make a comment, because not everyone has got the money they’ve got, and not everyone who’s on benefits are on benefits by choice.”
Peter Marciniak
Retired Peter, 70, who lives with wife Jayne in Nottingham, says Eustice’s attitude is typical of this government.
He says: “I bet he doesn’t buy own-brand. Do as I say, not as I do.”
And he says he hopes people will give a strong response in today’s local elections. “People are already buying the cheapest food they can, this man doesn’t think. The only way we can get the government to sit up and take notice is to use our feet and get out and vote.”
Jen Derrick
Mum Jen, 32, says telling people who can’t make ends meet to buy cheaper food reminds her of French queen Marie-Antoinette’s famous comment during the French Revolution: “Let them eat cake.”
Jen, who lives with her husband Jonathan and their five children in Mansfield, Notts, says: “Such comments highlight the ignorance of our government. It feels like the government would very much like it, if the backbone of this country wouldn’t mind awfully, taking a hit or two for the team.”
She adds: “Our family have already cut back in all aspects of life, not just food.
“Some members of the government couldn’t resist partying when it was an offence to do so. I don’t think they would appreciate being told they should give up such luxury now as well, just so their families can survive.”
She says she doesn’t mind going without “so my family is happy and healthy.
But I know, not all people will be able to cut back on expenses, for whatever reason. Hikes in the cost of basic things mean less money in the pot for the essentials their children need.”
