Firefighters start voting on pay strikes
The ballot closes on January 30
More than 33,000 firefighters and control room staff start voting today, on whether to strike over pay.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are being asked if they want to take industrial action over a "derisory" 5% pay rise,
The ballot closes on January 30.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: "Strike action will always be a last resort but we are running out of options.
"Many firefighters and control staff are desperate. Some are struggling to afford to live. It is a dreadful and very serious state of affairs.
"We are doing everything we can to secure a decent offer. We have held talks with and written letters to many different parties, but no such pay offer has been forthcoming.
"It is the responsibility of fire service employers and governments to pay their staff properly. That is part of their responsibility of running the fire and rescue service. We look forward to receiving a pay offer from them that addresses the cost-of-living crisis firefighters and control staff are living through.
"We have been mandated by our members to fight for pay that they can live on, and will do that."
If a national strike is held, it would be the first of its kind since pension action between 2013 and 2015 and the first on pay since 2002-2003.
The cost of living crisis is affecting many people:
Interest rates and inflation go up
Inflation rose by 8.8% in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.2% in December 2022. With interest rates also rising to 4%, those saving money will earn more interest on their finances, whilst those paying mortgages would pay more interest to the bank.
Energy bills
The price of energy went up incredibly as the cost of living crisis hit, with the gas price spike caused largely by the war in Ukraine. The price cap - which is set by an independent regulator to help offset costs onto customers - was set to rise to ÂŁ3,549 for an average home in October but a price freeze from the government restricted the typical bill to ÂŁ2,500. That's still an increase of 27% from the previous energy cap and as it's a cap on unit cost, the more energy you use the higher your bill will be.
Food prices
The cost of a weekly shop also has gone up as a result of the cost of living crisis. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a number of products including cooking oils and wheat have been disrupted. This means that several products are now considerably more expensive, driving bills up for customers.
Prices at the pumps
The average cost of petrol has also rose to unprecedented levels. Supply lines for petrol have been thrown into doubt as a result of the war in Ukraine, as Russia is a large export partner for gas, oil and fuel. In April 2022, the average price for a litre of petrol on the forecourt was 160.2p, whilst a litre of diesel would cost 170.5p. By late June 2022 the price had risen to an average of 190.9p for a litre of unleaded and 198.9p for a litre of diesel. In March 2023 the price wass on average of 147.03 in petrol and 167.04 in diesel.
Average cost of filling up a car with petrol hits ÂŁ100
On 9th June 2022, the average cost of filling up a car with petrol hit ÂŁ100 for the first time ever. Diesel had already hit that milestone. It comes as the cost of fuel hit a record high of one pound eighty a litre. The 2p rise was the biggest daily jump in 17 years. Prices have dropped by at least 20p per litre since the high point.