COST OF LIVING CRISIS: Charities and support groups across Harrogate district offering vital help for those who are struggling

Everyone is feeling the pinch as the cost of essentials such as food, electricity, gas and petrol continue to rise and there are a number of services reminding people that they are not alone.

Warm and Well in North Yorkshire is a partnership project that brings together organisations from the public, private and charity sector with the aim of supporting people who are finding themselves living in fuel poverty.

The project is managed by Citizens Advice Mid-North Yorkshire and they are warning that without further Government action, people across the region risk falling into severe hardship.

The charity, which has seen the number of people needing help with energy debts increase by 66% since last year, has found that 18% of people in Yorkshire and the Humber are currently unable to afford energy bills, even if they cut back or fall behind on other essentials, and this figure jumps to 32% after the energy price cap hike on April 1.

The group is calling for urgent Government help - firstly by increasing benefits in April in line with the current rate of inflation rather than last September’s rate, and secondly, by offering further support to prevent families once again choosing between heating and eating in October when the price cap is expected to rise again.

Laura Docherty, Head of Energy and Poverty Prevention at Citizens Advice Mid North Yorkshire, said: “The people we’re helping are reaching breaking point.

“The heartbreaking truth is that many have simply nothing left in their budget they can cut back on and that’s why we’re seeing more and more people needing crisis support like food bank referrals and help with energy debts.

“Current measures announced by the Government don’t go far enough.

“Only 6% of people across the region think the energy rebate will make a significant difference to their ability to pay their energy bill from October and if the Government doesn’t at least increase benefits to match the current rate of inflation, many more households will eventually be pushed to crisis point.”

Citizens Advice Mid North Yorkshire urges anyone who is worried about their energy costs to contact Warm and Well North Yorkshire.

Laura added: “We can help with energy debt, energy efficiency measures, and problems with energy providers.

“We can also refer people to our specialist debt and welfare benefits team for more in depth advice on these issues.

“We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.”

You can contact Warm and Well in North Yorkshire by calling 01609 767 555 or visiting https://www.warmandwell.org.uk/

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Resurrected Bites have reassured residents across the district that they are “here to help” if anybody needs support as the cost of living continues to affect families.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough based community organisation aims to reduce food waste and food poverty.

The organisation works with local businesses and suppliers to divert good quality food from landfill and instead, convert it into meals for their cafes, and provide it to families through their community grocery scheme.

Not only does it help people save money, it also means residents are helping to save the environment by stopping good food from going to waste.

The community groceries are run through a subscription scheme and are for people on a low income and for a small annual fee, you can have access to the shop and pay a very low rate for whatever you buy.

Carolyn Aitken, Gracious Street Community Grocery Manager, said: “If people are struggling to put food on the table, maybe only eating one meal a day or going without so the children can eat, then we are here to help.

“Our Community Groceries are available for those experiencing food poverty when we’re all seeing the cost of living rise faster than ever.

“We love to save good quality food from going to waste and although we don’t promise to have everything available all of the time, we can help our members with the basics that they need.”

Michelle Hayes, Founder and CEO of Resurrected Bites, added: “Our community groceries are in great demand so we can only support those people who are in genuine financial hardship.

“Some people are having to make some difficult choices, such as if they eat or heat their homes, or if they need to put fuel in their car to go to work and it would mean that they can’t feed their family.

“We are trying our best to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.”

To find out more about Resurrected Bites, visit https://resurrectedbites.co.uk/Is the rising cost of living making it hard for you and your family to afford essentials?

Are you struggling to pay your household bills, and what should be done to halt the crisis?

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