Cost of Living: Teen quits college to help mum pay bills
- Published
Beca-Ann has quit her studies as her mum juggles two jobs and bringing up two children and a foster child on her own
A 17-year-old has said she made the tough choice to quit college to help her mum try to deal with the rising cost of food and bills.
Beca-Ann from Deiniolen, Gwynedd, put studying for A-levels on hold to get a job after seeing her mum struggling to make ends meet.
"It was the only thing I could do to help, now others don't have to worry about me," she said.
Beca-Ann spoke as a charity warned many people are skipping meals due to costs.
Mike Theodoulou, chief executive of Foothold Cymru who support people in times of need, said many families were going without both food and heating.
Beca-Ann said quitting college to work was the "only way" she could help her mum, Delyth, who is working two part-time jobs while raising two teenagers and caring for a young foster child on her own.
"It was a tough decision. But at the end of the day, the family is more important," she said.
Beca-Ann said she getting a job was the only thing she could do to help
Delyth said the increase in food, electricity and gas bills meant her bank account was empty at the end of the month.
"Everything has gone up," she said.
"It started with petrol. That was a huge hit because we had to put more and more in each week. Before you'd know exactly how much you'd need each week. After that I started to notice how the weekly shop was getting more expensive.
"It's life changing, isn't it. We have to think about so many things and that is real hard work when you are a single parent and juggling so many things."
'My family is distressed'
Beca-Ann said the impact of the rising costs was affecting her, adding working meant "others don't have to worry about me".
She continued: "I can see the way it is affecting a lot of other people. It is affecting me, on an emotional level.
"I can see how my family is distressed, with people worrying a lot more, just trying to keep things together and just trying their best."
'It's heating or hospital'
Meanwhile in Llanelli, Kelly Darby and her family use the services of Foothold Cymru's Stebonheath Community Hub.
She said: "As a person with autoimmune disease and epilepsy, when it comes to food I need it for my meds to work.
"I need heating so I don't get ill, or I'd end up in hospital. There have been times where I've had to choose between heating and eating.
"There's not enough help out there, I've seen people in my area that are literally in tears, it's heartbreaking."
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show UK inflation now stands at 10.1%.
This 40-year high has been pushed by the rising cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks as well as soaring energy bills due, in part, to the war in Ukraine.
A poll, published by the TUC, suggested that many people in Wales are going hungry, with an estimated one in six skipping meals, with many cutting back on heating, hot water and electricity.
The recent survey - carried out by Opinium - polled more than 10,000 people across the UK, although it is unclear how many were surveyed in Wales alone.
Wales TUC General Secretary Shavanah Taj warned that "we risk heading towards Victorian levels of poverty" unless pay and benefits rise with inflation.
The Department for Work and Pensions said: "We recognise that people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting millions of the most vulnerable families with at least £1,200 of direct payments and providing all households with £400 towards energy costs.
"The government is determined to make work pay and in April we increased the National Living Wage to £9.50, the largest ever increase since its introduction in 2016."
At Foothold Cymru volunteers are working hard to try and help people struggling in the cost of living crisis
'She can't feed her five children'
Volunteers at Foothold Cymru said they had seen a spike in referrals for their emergency foodbank and for other help like a children's clothing exchange, and a lunchbox scheme.
The social justice charity offers a range of services, including food parcels, as well as tools and equipment to borrow, a community garden, a craft room, and a variety of classes.
Speaking to Radio Wales Breakfast, Helen Morris, community hub manager, said: "It's really worrying. Already we've seen a massive increase in demand for food and children's clothing.
"We support families locally who have no clothes for their children. They cannot afford to buy shoes, basic items for the children. These figures are just going to send that skyrocketing."
Ms Morris added: "We get a lady here every week. She has five children.
"She couldn't feed or clothe the little one last week and she came up here in tears. Luckily we have an emergency foodbank and we could help her, and we could give her some clothing.
"Everyday we are getting people in with the same problems."
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