A COUPLE have told how they can only afford to feed their five kids ready-made meals as they struggle through the cost of living crisis.
Kevin and Nicola Gomersall, 40 and 39 respectively, stay in all the time as they can’t afford to go out and they’re spending £50 a week just to take one child to school.
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Energy costs have also been through the roof for the large family with the children, aged 3, 10, 13, 15 and 17, all on their various computers or games consoles throughout the day as they’re off school.
Kevin said: “It’s a bit of a nightmare. We don’t even get to go out anymore. We basically have to sit in because we have no more money to pay.
“When you’re living underneath each other, it causes a lot of arguments. We get angry. We need our space.”
Nicola said: “With all the prices going up, it’s going to become a choice of eating or taking your kids to school.”
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The couple were selling their possessions at Wetherby Car Boot Sale. Kevin, a construction worker, and Nicola, a cleaner, say energy bills are now an extra £75 a month – “a big jump,” exclaims the concerned mum.
Kevin said: “Food, gas, electric, everything has gone up, bus fare is just about the only thing that hasn’t gone up. The government don’t give a damn.
“Our kids don’t eat as healthy anymore because it costs too much for food. We’re giving them ready meals, something quick and simple.”
The pair say the real kicker is the rise in fuel costs, it costs £50 a week just to take their 15-year-old son to school. Nicola said: “Our son goes to Tadcaster Grammar. I’m having to go there and back every day – it costs me about £50 a week now to get my kid to school.”
He’s on the waiting list for the school bus, which she fumes is still about £80 a month.
Kevin said: “When we rang up for help from the Government, we got told to change our kid’s school to make it easier for us because it’s costing too much.
Nicola said: “I don’t want him to go to schools near us, because they’re not very nice schools.”
How to get help
It’s worth double checking if you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to to make sure you’re not missing out on extra income.
You can use a free benefits checker to check what you’re entitled to, but note that it is a guide only.
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what means-tested benefits you might be entitled to, as well as whether you qualify for carers allowance.
It doesn’t calculate non-means tested and contributory benefits, but it will include these in your results if you already recieve them.
Entitledto’s free calculator checks whether you qualify for multiple benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit, but you have to register an account.
If you don’t want to register, consumer group MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange also have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data that let you save your results without making an account.
Or you can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to not only find out which benefits you could receive as well as find out how much cash you’ll have leftover each month after paying for housing costs.
If you’re not eligible for benefits, you may still be able to make the most of other government schemes.
For example, the Household Support Fund (HSF) has a pot of £500million to be dished out by October 2022, but you have to make a claim for a slice of the free cash from your local council.
The help you can get depends on your local council, but many are giving out food and fuel vouchers as well as free school meal vouchers.
If you are a parent or expectant mum on a low income or benefits, you could be entitled to Healthy Start vouchers which give you up to £442 a year towards food.
We explain everything you need to know about the Healthy Start scheme.
If the HSF or Healthy Start Vouchers aren’t applicable to you, you may be able to seek help from a food bank.
Find your nearest one by typing your postcode into the online search bar on The Trussell Trust’s website.
You’ll need to be referred by one of your local community organisations as you can’t make a claim at a food bank yourself.
It comes as Downing Street is considering slashing VAT in a bid to help struggling families battle the cost of living crisis, it is reported.
The proposals to cut VAT from the headline figure of 20 per cent could reduce the tax bill for millions of Brits.
The move would help ease the pressures faced by households as the cost of living crisis continues.
The Prime Minister’s chief of staff Steve Barclay has suggested reducing the rate on a temporary basis, The Times reports.
However, there are fears the Treasury has warned the move could end up fuelling inflation by overstimulating the economy.
Inflation, which reached 9.1 per cent last month, is at its highest in four decades.
