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The everyday essentials we’ll be paying more for as the cost of living continues to rise
Here’s everything you need to know
As the cost of living in the UK continues to climb at its fastest rate in decades, the price of a number of everyday items and necessities have also been rising.
While inflation soared to 5.4% – the highest rate since 1992 – last month, the price cap for energy bills is also expected to rise by an estimated 46-56% in April.
Experts have warned that the cost of living will only get higher in the coming months in what has been dubbed a ‘national crisis’, and have urged the government to act ‘immediately’.
But what exactly will be getting more expensive and why?
Here’s everything you need to know:
Energy bills
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Perhaps the most talked about aspect of the whole crisis is the looming cost of energy bills, which are expected to soar by over 50% in April, adding as much as £600 to the annual cost of the average UK household.
Provider Octopus Energy states that the reason for the price rise is down to the cost of energy being bought on the global markets being three times higher than it was a year ago. Major economies such as the US, China, Europe and India are all believed to be impacted by this price rise.
Read More: Energy bills could rise by 50% unless government intervenes, industry warns
Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis has called upon the government to ‘act now’, saying the looming energy crisis will force millions of households to choose between ‘freezing or starving’.
To combat the rising costs, Lewis has recommended getting a fixed tariff that is no more than 40% above the price cap, improving home insulation, using a smart meter and exploring benefit options if you’re struggling to pay your bills.
Food and clothing
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Supply issues caused by Brexit and the Covid pandemic have resulted in massive price increases for food, groceries and clothing.
A recent Twitter thread by campaigner Jack Monroe highlighted the cost hike in a number of common supermarket items such as a bag of rice, which cost 45p for kilogram bag last year. Today it’s £1 for 500g, a 344% price increase. Monroe also pointed out that a loaf of bread, which once cost 45p, now costs 58p, which is a price increase of 29%.
The ONS has confirmed that food and drink prices lifted by 4.2% year on year in December, while clothes shops also put up prices by an average 4.2%.
Alternatively, retailer Next warned that prices will rise by as much as 6% by next autumn and winter, while online retailer ASOS said it had increased prices in the ‘low to mid-single digit’ range.
Train Tickets
While the cost of rail travel has been steadily increasing for the last decade, they’re expected to become even more costly from March 1st, when ticket prices in England will increase by as much as 3.8% – the steepest increase since January 2013.
Increases are normally implemented on the first working day of every year, but have been delayed due to the Covid pandemic.
Read More: Andy Burnham calls out ridiculous price of 15 minute train journey from Manchester
Demand for rail travel is also more than 40% below pre-Covid levels.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has previously called out the rising cost of train journeys in the North, with him last year proposing a set-fare system that would have ‘the potential to elevate’ millions of Northern residents.
Phone and broadband bills
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Thanks to an increase in data usage during the pandemic, the cost of phone and broadband bills are also expected to increase in the coming months.
Provider BT announced a price hike of more than 9% from the end of March for most customers, with those affected paying an extra £3.50 a month – or £42 annually – on average for their phone and broadband bills.
Working from home, online education and increased TV streaming have all increased demands on the company’s network, with a 90% rise in broadband usage since 2018, and a 79% increase on mobile phones since 2019, the company said.
We’re pleased to announce that Proper Manchester is rebranding as Finest City Guides.
As part of this change, the Proper Manchester brand, including its social media channels, will transition to the Finest City Guides name.
This is a rebrand of the existing platform rather than a new or unrelated business. The same team behind Proper Manchester will continue to operate Finest City Guides as we develop the platform under its new identity.
Previous name: Proper Manchester
New name: Finest City Guides
Our social channels and other brand assets will be updated to reflect the Finest City Guides name as part of this transition.
More from Finest City Guides coming soon.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
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