People of Portsmouth speak out on frightening thirty-year high living costs
In December late last year The Guardian reported that inflation had risen to a “near-30-year high” of 5.4%, driven higher by rising prices for food, furniture, clothes and housing costs.
In 2022, things have notoriously got worse throughout the country, and in Portsmouth small businesses have suffered greatly, with many closures and vacant premises in Cascades Shopping Centre and Commercial Road.
David, owner of Cascades Portsmouth small business Triple Moon Holistic’s, explained his fears for the future because of rising costs, “Customers are more reluctant to buy anything expensive because they don’t know how much their next bill will be.
“I worry greatly for the future and after Christmas time.”
Businesses have seen 49% increases to gas bills, and will have to pay £1700 more on electric bills according to ONS statistics.
Mental Health Researcher Malene Hatletvedt explained how because of the rise in household bills, she now bases herself at the central library, and is able to access their resources and use their computers and Wifi for free: “I work from home and my electric bills have gone up a lot, I can now use their computers to stop paying for electric at home.”