West Berkshire charities feel the squeeze

The cost of living continues to bite in West Berkshire. Charities are reporting increases in demand for help with financial difficulty.

And the food banks say stocks are down  to nearly half the levels of previous years, just as they ramp up support for the Christmas period.

West Berkshire Homeless report averaging more than 10 calls per day from people in immediate food or utility poverty and who are looking for help.

Citizens Advice West Berkshire reports a big jump in homelessness, with cases up 30.2 per cent. Those needing help to find housing is up 100 per cent, and council tax debts up 112 per cent, pointing to growing financial and housing struggles.

Its data suggests that people are increasingly looking for help with basic needs like housing and debt.

The Community Resource Centre reports that the rate of requests for assistance with essential household goods continues to remain high. In the period April 1 to November 11, a total of 317 referrals to their Essential Household Goods Scheme were fulfilled at a cost of £95,498.

This was for furniture, beds, bedding and white goods and cases have increased by 19.62 per cent.

Cases range from those on very low incomes moving into properties without furnishings or appliances to families with newborn babies requiring support with furnishings.

Other areas of support include following family deaths, those leaving domestic abuse settings or as a consequence of family break-ups.

Financial hardship continues to be by far the most often cited reason for the needs identified. These account for 168 applications. Other reasons include emergency accommodation at 22, domestic abuse at 17 and new tenancy at 16.

Its projected spend of £158,000 busts its budget of £120,000.

West Berkshire Foodbank has received all its donations from schools and churches for harvest festival.

They report that although donors have been ‘wonderful’ and given what they can current stock levels are seriously depleted.

The foodbank is not confident its stock will last to the end of the year due to increased Christmas demand.

They go on to report that the charity will find it exceptionally challenging in the lean months of January through to March 2025.

It compared stock levels to this time last year. On November 11, 2023 there was 41,024kg of stock, but on November 11, 2024 it was down to 26,188kg, equating to a year on year decrease in stock of 44 per cent.

The foodbank is gearing up for increased demand in December and have arranged three full days of volunteer collections at all three large Tesco stores in West Berkshire, as well as a collection day at Sainsbury, Newbury and Waitrose, Newbury.

Previously, the foodbank says these days have proved very successful but use up a huge amount of volunteer hours.

Pinchington Lane Tesco for instance will need four volunteers for eight hours for three days, as well as two collection drivers.

West Berkshire Action for Refugees reports a range of issues including difficulty sourcing housing for single person households.

In addition, many are reported as starting in poverty, with affordability of clothing and household goods an issue.