Caerphilly voters try to stay on top of rising prices

Jonathan Rees has been running a gym in Caerphilly since 2017

Customers are increasingly showering at the gym to help keep bills down at home, according the co-owner of a gym in Caerphilly.

Jonathan Rees runs Team Rees Gym in the town and says his 3,000 members have become increasingly cost conscious as pressures on household budgets continue.

He said numbers had increased since the gym had begun offering month to month memberships.

"People don't want long-term commitments," he said, adding that his members were "using the showers in the gym rather than showering in the house".

Voters in Caerphilly will be heading to the polls on 23 October to elect a new Senedd member after the sudden death of Member of the Senedd Hefin David.

Rising food costs and utility bills this year mean that cost of living pressures remain a big issue for many people, particularly those on low incomes where spending on essentials makes up a bigger part of their budget.

Prices are 30% higher now than they were at the end of 2019 according to analysis from the ONS and Bank of England.

Student Oliver is trying to eat more protein, he says shopping at the butchers is the cheapest option

Oliver, 18, is doing a course to qualify as a personal trainer.

He said getting into fitness had helped with his mental health and changed his life "completely", with him living healthily and trying to eat more protein.

"I don't really spend much money because I don't drink or smoke, so a lot of my money goes into buying things like steak and eggs," he said.

But he said he had noticed the price of beef increasing.

"Some of them are like £20 for a steak, it's crazy - I've found it's cheaper to go a butcher and it's higher quality meat as well."

He and his friends are very "focused on fitness" and have not given the by-election much thought yet.

"I might vote, but I'll have to do a bit more research on it."

Jo says the cost of living and the NHS are big issues for her

Research student and charity worker Jo is also committed to her fitness, hitting the gym three or four times a week,

She said she will definitely be voting in the by-election.

"I'm looking at what options are good for myself and my family. I'm not set on any party."

With six children "who eat a lot", she said she had noticed "a huge increase" in what she pays every week for shopping.

For her, "cost of living is a big thing" but so is the NHS.

"It's important to look after people's health and wellbeing," she said.

Katy's husband has to travel to Norwich every week for work, but keeping costs under control is a big challenge for her family

In Bargoed, in the north of the constituency, shoppers on the high street said the cost of living was a big issue for them.

"I don't think the cost of living is being brought up enough, because people are still struggling," said Katy, who had just done her weekly shop.

Her husband has recently taken a job in Norwich.

"He needs to go that far to get the money for the gas and electric and food bills, and that's all it covers," she said.

Brian says he plans to vote but has not decided who he will be backing

Musician Brian was enjoying a coffee with his friend Clint, a retired carpenter.

"Everything is sky high now, potatoes, eggs, coffee - everything," said Brian

"It's the valleys, everyone is in the same boat at the moment because the wages are low," said Clint, adding that the cost of living had "shot up" with people unable to afford it.

Both men intend to vote, though they have not decided who to support.

Clint said: "I'm not being nasty, but everybody promises the same thing and then they don't deliver."

"I'm really not sure," said Brian.

"The thing is if I don't vote I haven't got a say have I?"