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23
Feb 2022
Vulnerable people in Harrogate district having sleepless nights over rising bills
Fears are growing amongst some of the Harrogate district's most vulnerable people ahead of a record increase in gas and electricity bills in April.
Customers at community grocery shop Resurrected Bites and people who use the Harrogate District Foodbank, say they have been "having sleepless nights" over the price hike.
One man, whose food budget for the entire month is £30, said he had just received his renewal quote for energy and it was up to triple the original amount.
Another woman, who uses a pre-pay metre, said she was preparing to cut back and put on some extra clothing to keep warm if necessary.
Resurrected Bites is a Harrogate and Knaresborough-based community organisation aiming to reduce food waste and food poverty.
One of the customers at the organisation's grocery shop at New Park Primary Academy, told the Stray Ferret about the impact it would have.
The man, from Harrogate, who works full time and has a six-year-old daughter, said:
Resurrected Bites provides a 'lifeline'
The customer, who did not wish to be named, said organisations like Resurrected Bites, which also runs 'pay-as-you-feel' cafes in Harrogate and Knaresborough, were a lifeline to those in need.
The community grocery store sells good quality donated food to people on a low income for a small cost, that would otherwise end up in landfill. It often sees between 30 and 40 customers coming through its doors in one day.
The man began using the service after separating from his daughter's mother, who receives all the available benefits due to being listed as the main residence.
Resurrected Bites' community grocery store at New Park is a lifeline to those in need.
He said:
The price hike comes after the energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average duel-fuel energy tariff by £693 — an increase of 54 per cent.
This is to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year.
Volunteers at Resurrected Bites' New Park Community Grocery Store.
New Park community grocery manager Sophia Clarke said customers, who come from a variety of different backgrounds, were worried about the impact it would have.
She said:
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Foodbank fears
Over at a very busy Harrogate District Foodbank, at Mowbray Community Church, on Westmoreland Street, one woman said she used a pre-pay meter to avoid getting into trouble with her bills.
She said:
Harrogate District Foodbank at Mowbray Community Church, Westmoreland Street.
Another man, who suffered with mental health problems, said he was worried that his landlord would put his rent up as a result of the price hike.
He said:
Dawn Pearson, project manager at Harrogate District Foodbank.
Dawn Pearson, project manager at the foodbank, which also provides help and support for people in Knaresborough and Starbeck, said more support from the government was needed.
She said:
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