Cost of living: 'There's nobody trying to help us'

Leroy Howe said traders had been left to their own devices

Businesses in Birmingham have called for government intervention in the face of the cost of living crisis.

At the wholesale market, one trader said rising prices meant he could not plan from one week to the next.

Official figures reveal that the cost of living is more than 10% higher than it was a year ago with the price of things like food and petrol soaring.

"There's nobody trying to help us," said market trader Leroy Howe, of Howe's Exports.

"The price of fuel keeps going up so suppliers keep putting up the prices so what we find happening is that one week we'll be charged this price and the next week we'll be charged a higher price."

He said he was already noticing fewer people the market as customers cut back on spending which he said was "worrying".

Mr Howe said he felt traders like him were being "left to our own devices" and "aren't getting any support from anywhere".

Raj Kandola said the government needed to step in to help businesses

His concerns were echoed by Raj Kandola, head of policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

"Many small businesses incurred huge debts in the pandemic which they are struggling to repay and now the cost of living crisis is adding to that pressure right now," he said.

"That's why we are calling on the government to act now and help alleviate these huge cost pressures firms are facing right now."

Mr Kandola said businesses were under pressure to raise their prices due to higher costs and called for financial support for people working in energy-intensive industries.

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Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said the government would leave "no stone unturned" ahead of the incoming prime minister on 5 September.

"My message is... whether they are small businesses or families who are really struggling, really worried, is that we will be ready for more support as the new prime minister comes in," he said.

"We are working night and day to make this work."