Shropshire braces for difficult winter as cost-of-living crisis deepens, charities warn

Shropshire is bracing for a difficult winter as rising costs push more families toward hardship, charities say. Local drivers of poverty report that food and energy bills are increasing at a pace that could overwhelm households already stretched by stagnant wages and tight budgets. Official data show nearly 25,000 homes in the county are living in fuel poverty, while End Child Poverty estimates indicate about one in three children in Shropshire live below the breadline. The BBC’s visit to the county last week explored how rural areas are coping as the crisis deepens and charities expand services to fill gaps in public support.

Leanne Simcoe, who runs Little Stars in Oswestry and Shrewsbury as part of the Baby Bank Alliance, said demand for help has surged, with referrals rising about 176% from 2023 to 2024. The charity offers free essentials to families and is looking to expand to meet growing demand as prices rise. “Food prices have gone up astronomically for families, and everyone is feeling the pinch,” Simcoe said. “Among the working families we support, we’ve had business owners come in too. The price rises have impacted their companies, so their businesses are struggling — and that, in turn, affects their family life.”

Little Stars, which operates in Oswestry and Shrewsbury, is awaiting the autumn budget in November and is hoping for benefit reforms, including a review of the two-child limit for universal credit. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the policy was “on the table” last week, though no final decision has been announced. The debate over how benefits are structured remains a focal point for charities seeking to reduce child poverty and help working families keep up with rising costs.

Andy Stelman, coordinator of the Bishops Castle foodbank, said scrapping the two-child benefit cap would be a meaningful step. “Food is a political issue, heating is a political issue — the two-child benefit cap is a political issue,” he said. “The problem of poverty does not know seasons. It goes on and on and on. The big statutory organisations are a bit like huge great liners — if they want to change direction, it takes an awful long time. It doesn’t take us a lot of time.”

Carol Wall, who began using the foodbank after the death of her husband, Peter, said her pension no longer covers living costs. “Since Peter’s gone, I’ve only got the one pension. It’s only a small one, and I still have the same bills to pay,” she said. “Something’s got to be done because we dread the winter with the fuel rises going up again.” Food prices have risen for five consecutive months, and the energy price cap is set to rise again on 1 October, underscoring the strain on households.

As the crisis endures, charities say they will bear more frontline responsibilities while Shropshire Council grapples with its own financial challenges. The council is taking urgent action to avoid bankruptcy by next April, aiming to save 35.2 million pounds this financial year. “It will really put an impact on local resources; the charity sector will be doing all it can to help,” Simcoe said. Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for social care, emphasized that residents should not hesitate to seek help. “Communities are very good at supporting themselves, but people really shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help,” she said. “People can go online at Shropshire Council for more formal means of support and financial assistance. There are some ringfenced funds around the cost of living and the Household Support Fund — they are available, and sometimes it’s as simple as people asking for help to access the benefits they’re entitled to.”

With rising costs and tighter public budgets, charities across Shropshire say they will continue to step in to bridge gaps in support while broader policy reforms are debated. The autumn budget remains in focus for groups pressing for changes to welfare rules, energy assistance, and targeted relief for the most vulnerable families, as the county prepares for what could be a difficult winter season.