The government have failed to support and stabilise the economy and so the people are in an inescapable struggle for every-day essentials, having to make decisions which they wouldn’t normally have to and that can shape their next few weeks or month.  They are fighting for a pay rise, striking for a voice which is not being listened to even through its heard because it is trying to be silenced, with Rishi Sunak anti-strike law propagation. Many people need the help and support that just isn’t being provided to them, because everyone is feeling the effects of inflation. 

The rising prices have “affects everything. What you shop. Where you shop. When you shop”, as food prices as increased, becoming “a lot more expensive” so people are “trying to find cheaper alternatives and visit different supermarkets to try and find the best deals”, which does not help as much as one would expect as the prices of petrol and diesel have also rose, which most people who do not have the luxury of owning an electric vehicle, effects when and “where you travel”, people used to be able to fill the “tank for around £60 now, it’s more like £80-£90” Therefore, there is no real way of avoiding the rising prices for everyday citizens. 

It's not just individual people who are feeling the effects for “pretty much everybody is struggling in one way or the other”, “You can speak to anyone”, “it doesn’t matter how much money they earn”, “how many hours they work whether they have children or not”, everyone is feeling the inflation fallback. Of cause “some people will have felt it more than others, but everybody will have seen an impact”, and it's because of this impact that everyone is “making these changes to try and claw back money”.  

The “prices of the gas have been ridicules”, with people's energy bills being “doubled since what they were like towards last year”. People are wondering what will happen next whilst also trying to do what they can to keep their energy usage at a minimum, which has proven to a tremendous challenge with today's low temperatures. Many are forced to constantly switch off their heating, leaving their home in a cold and unsettling, while others have begun to use their “coal fire a lot more”, which can create health problems if rooms are not properly ventilated.  

Some “think the government could do more” however, prefer to try and help themselves, rather than wait for support from the government which may or may not come. Some do this by “getting as much information” as possible through the internet and people like Marti Lewis, following the tips, hints and life hacks he shares to try and directly benefit themselves. Others believe that they are “not really” getting the support they need for it doesn't help as much as they need it to. Some receive partial pay of some of their energy bill or little “extra pay but it doesn’t stretch” as far as they need it to.  

Some are recommending that “the government should consider talking to people on the ground”, “that are in situations that are difficult” and get direct recommendations from them, for it is the people who are suffering and the people that know what is best for them. This could be by “not taxing as much as they do” or “management for people working in food banks, that do provide a fantastic service” by “giving them more support and more funding” or “putting a cap on things”, helping families with “uniforms and stationery and meals at school”, for “there are people that work, and they’re still struggling in finances”. There are thousands of ways that the government could help support their people, it's just up to us to share them.  

The inflation crisis has taken its toll on all of us however, there are still many ways in which we can help ourselves and each other, because we are not alone in this fight. 

Quotes taken from two interviews with Mr & Mrs Stevens and Mrs Townsend & Ms Tolladay.