'Our running costs have doubled' - how one Newton Aycliffe family is coping with the cost of living

Ahead of the general election on July 4 we are looking at some of the big issues for people heading to the polls.

The cost of living is affecting many people in the region, with high prices and stagnant wages leaving many households struggling.

We spent some time with the Weston family in Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham to see how they are coping.

Shopping smarter, using the car less and keeping a close eye on when the heating goes on are a few of the ways the Weston family is trying to make their income go further.

Engineer Darran and charity volunteer Lisa live with their daughter, who is studying for exams.

They say the cost of running the household has doubled.

"I think, like everyone else, food prices have gone through the roof," said Darran. "Even things you use to make a basic meal have more than doubled.

"Fuel costs definitely for the car. And years ago you could have the heating on for hours a day and not have to worry about it. But literally all I hear when the heating goes on is money in a jar."

He added: "If we went and spent £100 at the shop, I would say we probably say we get about a quarter as what we used to get maybe four years ago, five years ago. And the prices aren't coming down."

As a family of animal lovers, they have several rescue pets which also need fed and cared for.

Lisa said: "The dog food and the cat food especially, I just don't understand why they have to charge so much for them. But we do what we can. We love our animals and we can't let them go without or anything. They're our babies."

Darran says the family has cut back on costs where possible, keeping the car at home to save on petrol and closely monitoring gas and electric.

And they keep an eagle out for offers.

"If there's a chicken and gravy pie from Tesco, for example, that are normally four pound and it drops down to two, you can get two and it's like buy one get one free," he added. "You can have one for tea, for example, and you can put one in the freezer for later. I think we've had to shop more savvy now than we ever have done. We've had to make different choices on shampoos, go for own brand deodorants, things like that.

"We'll only use the car now when we need to. Fuel costs we were looking at nearly two pounds a litre. There's a fuel checker site you can go onto that tells you where the cheapest is in the area. I think I've run the car more on red lines than I have at any other time."

The last few years have taken more than a financial tolls, says Lisa.

"It's definitely affecting our mental health," said Lisa. "When you're trying to save up to have a day out and go somewhere it's hard because you have to break into that money and we have to use it to pay for something else. It is really hard but you have to manage on what you've got basically."

When they think of the future it isn't themselves they have in mind.

Darran said: "I'd like to think that my youngest daughter who goes to college this year has something of a better future. But will she able to afford a house? Because she'll be taxed to death the moment she starts earning. House prices are going ridiculously high. The cost of running them. I fear how she's going to manage."

Their main hope, after election, whoever is in charge, is that families budgets go further.

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…