North East debt counselling charity urges people to reach out if they're struggling with budgeting money
Over 17 million people in the UK are suffering with daily financial anxiety
A North East debt counselling charity are urging people to reach out for help if they are struggling with budgeting money.
New research shows that over 17 million people in the UK are worrying about being unable to pay for food, electricity and other essentials.
Julia Wilthew, North East area manager for Christians Against Poverty, said: "Over the last year or more, we've seen all these bills increasing and they're all increasing again, and people's income is finite. Obviously, we know that salaries haven't risen in accordance with it, and benefits certainly haven't risen in accordance with the cost of living.
"People who have not really struggled before are all of a sudden struggling and are very anxious about how they’re going to make ends meet. Then there’s people who were already struggling or in an even deeper hole and just can't see your way out.
"We know that people haven't been doing the January sales this year just because they don't have that surplus money to do it. Christmas has been really, really tight for most people this year because they just don't have a way through and that impacts your mental health.
"They can't do what they want to do. They can't give the kids a day out or how are they going to afford that school trip that the kids are shouting for, let alone how are they going to put a meal on the table when they just haven't got enough money to do so."