When there’s nothing left to cut back on, how do you budget for winter?

Across West Northumberland, more people are being pushed into hardship as living costs continue to outpace incomes. Behind each call to our helpline is fear, exhaustion, and the constant question: “What else can I cut back on?”

​Parents skip meals so their children can eat. Pensioners endure freezing temperatures because they can’t afford to turn the heating on. Families turn to credit and high-interest loans just to top up meters and buy food. Some households go days without heat, living in cold, damp homes that make illness and poor mental health even harder to escape.

​A growing number of people reaching breaking point

The pressure is relentless, and when winter arrives, it deepens. From June to July alone, calls to our helpline rose by 80%. We’re hearing from people who have always managed before but are now being pushed to breaking point: working parents, older residents, people in poor health, all struggling to stay afloat as incomes fall short of the cost of living.

“People are budgeting carefully, cutting back wherever they can, and still falling short,” says Sam Gilchrist, CEO of West Northumberland Food Bank. “By the time winter arrives, many are already exhausted, financially and emotionally.”

​Preparing for the months ahead

​With demand showing no signs of slowing, our team is preparing for the months ahead with specialist training in energy advice and household budgeting. This will allow us to offer practical guidance and signposting alongside food support and our Hardship Awards, helping people get the right support before situations reach crisis point.

Rising costs are pushing more people into hardship.By the time winter arrives, many are already exhausted, financially and emotionally.

​Why financial support matters

While community food donations remain vital, we now spend thousands of pounds each month supplementing them to keep pace with demand. Financial donations are essential to sustain that support through the hardest months of the year.
As temperatures drop, our focus remains clear: to make sure no one in West Northumberland faces hardship alone. The months ahead will be difficult for many, but with continued community support, we can reach those who need it most.

Your donation can make the difference:

• £20 provides: a week of food for two people, three meals a day and relief from the constant worry about where the next meal will come from.
• £50 provides: an energy top-up so someone can switch on a heater, take a hot shower or wash their clothes without fear of the meter running out.
  
• £100 keeps us on the road: reaching around 250 households each week, and helps ten people get through a week they would not otherwise manage, replacing anxiety with warmth, stability and hope.
  

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