People wholly reliant on their state pensions are currently living on around £185 a week, which works out as less than £10,000 a year, forcing them to turn to local foodbanks to get by.

In addition, some pensioners are even going into debt in order to cover the essentials, which include bills that have risen significantly over the last 18 months and continue to rise.

The recent mini-budget delivered by the now removed Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng only served to consolidate the problems faced by many of those who already struggle to get by on only their state pension. This is worsened by the dialling back of the support package centred around energy bills that was initially put in place for two years, but will now expire in April 2023.

And inflation will continue to rise quickly, with September seeing a rate of 8.8% which will surely breach 9% by the end of October.

Unfortunately, the available help to those who need it most is limited.

Debt Advice services across the UK are sinking with the surge of cries for help since the pandemic hit, and foodbanks across the country are being pushed to their very limit. There are now over 2500 foodbanks in operation throughout the UK, which is more than branches of the popular fast food chain McDonalds.

And the number of people using them has massively increased in recent years. In 2014/15, just over half a million adults used a foodbank in England. This figure more than doubled to just under 1.3 million in 2020/21.

If you feel you may need to draw on the support of a local foodbank, visit trusselltrust.org to locate one close to you. If you would like to make a donation to a foodbank, please visit the same link.