Worcestershire business owner 'burnt out' in fight against cost of living

Angie Monroe's bills have already tripled to £250 a month

Small businesses are "burnt out" and "closing daily" due to the rising cost of living, a hairdresser has said.

Angie Monroe, who runs a salon in Stourport, Worcestershire, told the BBC she had suffered sleepless nights worrying about the winter energy price hike.

She said her electricity bills had already more than tripled from £80 a month to £250.

The average energy bill is set to rise to £2,800 a year, Ofgem has said.

"It's stressful, I didn't sleep last night because of what will happen in October and there's nothing I can do," Ms Monroe said.

"In the salon, I avoid putting the heating when it's not cold because of the cost, it's like a military operation.

"I'm having to do 11-hour shifts just to make ends meet."

The typical household energy bill is set to rise by about £800 a year in October, the energy regulator has warned.

Ofgem boss Jonathan Brearley said the price rises were a "once in a generation event not seen since the oil crisis in the 1970s".

Derek Evans, at Brockway Carpets, Kidderminster, said their costs have gone up even as they are still paying back Covid loans

At Brockway Carpets in Kidderminster, managing director Derek Evans said the company was still paying back loans taken out during the pandemic after their wool suppliers increased their prices.

The firm is considering pay rises for their 85 staff and Mr Evans welcomed the chancellor's announcement of discounts as "a good step".

However he added: "It doesn't solve things for people".

"I think we all have to be very realistic that the amount of money that everybody is talking about, their bills being higher by, is a really high proportion of their total income," he said.

Ofgem has warned soaring prices could see the number of people in fuel poverty rise to 12 million.

To combat this, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced every household in the UK is set to receive an energy bill discount of £400 as part of a package of new measures to tackle rising prices.

The poorest households will also get a payment of £650 to help with the cost of living.

• Every household to get energy bill discounts of £400 this autumn

• Energy price cap: Typical energy bill set to rise by £800 a year in October

• Cost of living package will have minimal impact on inflation, says Rishi Sunak

Production manager Kevin Smith said his energy bill had increased by £125 per month after an offer ended and that his family has had to cut back in other areas like food and going out.

The extra £400 will be welcome, he said, but "when it gets to winter and [the bill] goes up another £800, you have lost that straight away".

For business owners like Ms Monroe, the future remains uncertain.

"We're living on eggshells wondering what's next," she said. "You're constantly looking over your shoulder.

"I see businesses closing every day because of the rising costs - it's heartbreaking.

"All I can do is keep trying to survive but there's only so much you can do."