'People are going to go cold and hungry': High Peak estate braces itself for cost of living crisis

From 6 April, workers will be hit by a National Insurance hike. And as energy bills and petrol costs soar, already tight budgets are getting tighter.

It's no great surprise that all of this will hit the poorest households the hardest.

We spent a couple of days in Gamesley near Glossop. The housing estate in the High Peak was described in a recent study as one of the country's most 'left behind neighbourhoods'. But it is home to more than 2,000 people who want to build a brighter future.

At the heart of the community is the G52 Community Hub. Amongst other things, they run a popular food pantry where members of the community pay a weekly cost of £2.00 to pick up a range of subsidised groceries.

They currently provide around 40 bags to families on the estate, and that number continues to rise.

Friends Joanne and Rachel have shopped there for months - and say it's becoming an increasingly valuable resource to them and the wider community.

Rachel tells us: "Since Covid hit, that affected my son's mental health...and I've had to quit work. From then, we've had to manage on a lot less than we were on before."

And Joanne echoes that, saying her family are becoming more conscious about wastage in their house: "We don't have the gas and electric on all day. We can't afford to do these days out we used to do.

"The petrol in the car -taking my son to do extra activities after school....We are robbing Peter to pay Paul."

Community Officer Pat Javanaud tells us: "The poorer people pay the highest price. We sit and we say, we don't know what is around the corner.

"But we are fearful of what's around the corner. I think people are going to go cold and hungry. Some people are at breaking point already."

During our two day visit, we spoke to parents already making sacrifices in their daily lives.

Colette is a mum of two young children, as well as an unpaid carer to her disabled adult son.

She revealed she is already skipping meals, so she can provide for the rest of the family.

Elsewhere, single dad Luke says the cost of petrol means his car sits outside his house unused. He told us he feels beaten down.

He says: "The cost of fuel has just skyrocketed. And it's going up every day. It seems to me, if you work, you're worse off. You just can't win."

Over the next few months, 1.3 million people will be pushed further into poverty.

For a profession charged with improving patients lives, it's a real worry. Local GP Dr Alan Dow explains that fears over stretched budgets are having a direct impact on peoples health.

"I've had people say to me: 'Look Doc, you've given me three [prescriptions], if I could only have two of them, what would you recommend I have?' It's a huge impact," he says.

"We're losing time to take the early steps of prevention and we'll see more ill health as a consequence.''

For those people trying to run successful businesses on the estate, creeping costs are a growing concern.

Chip shop owner Andy Catterall is new to the area and to the industry. He fulfilled a lifelong ambition by opening The Chippy.

Despite its popularity, the rising costs of fuel and produce means he's worried the affordable teatime treat is becoming a too expensive for his customers.

He says: "We've seen a 25% increase in fish. 20% rise in packaging. We've seen a 100% rise in peas.

"Fish and chips are going to hit £9 or £10 a portion. And that's just not affordable."

These were the experiences of one community, in a week when millions will see a rise in the their taxable earnings. 

The Chancellor has promised a stronger, fairer society - but that may be hard to achieve.