‘It was a storm… now it’s a hurricane’: Has the cost of living crisis been forgotten?
With £99 a month to live off Aida has turned to a food bank.
“It’s very difficult. Extremely difficult. But I have to live,” says Aida Mascarenhas. The 75-year-old tells us £99 is all she has left after paying her bills. Aida’s accommodation is provided by the local authority.
“Ninety-nine pounds in a month – even for bedding, pillows or something. So many things for a house.”
At the food bank, Aida is called forward to collect handouts to get her through the week.
Aida Mascarenhas uses food banks, saying she has just £99 left every month after bills
Organisers are able to offer the basics like potatoes, pasta and spices
It’s three years since we last visited this food bank at the Marks Gate Community Hub in Romford, Essex, when the cost of living crisis was being described as the worst in a generation.
After three grinding years of making ends meet, the food bank organiser – and her clients – tell us things aren’t improving. In fact, they feel things have got even worse.
Cost of living calculator: How much are your bills rising?
“Overall the cost of living crisis has gone up considerably since three years ago. It’s worse,” says Asma Haq, founder of the Marks Gate Relief Project.
“For charities like us it was a storm anyway and now it’s a hurricane. We are busy non-stop.”
Asma Haq, founder of the Marks Gate Relief Project, thinks the cost of living crisis has worsened ‘considerably’
Asma is running around calling people forward – offering them basics like potatoes, pasta and spices.
She tells us some always come early, anxious the supplies will run out.
Next in line at the food bank is a woman dragging a large suitcase – pulling the zip back to shove in a large bottle of cooking oil and anything else the food bank will give her.
This woman at the food bank is looking for basic groceries to keep her going
Asma describes almost all the people who come to the hub as non-white British, first-generation migrants.
She says most have broken or no English with little to no computer skills and want help to access a changing benefits system.
“It’s also about so many other barriers they face. A lot aren’t tech-savvy. They used to get a lot of council tax support which has been reduced considerably.
We’ve had people literally put their phones in our faces and say ‘do it for us’.”
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The threads of why people say they’re struggling weave through all communities. Across the road from the community centre we talk to people who again and again tell us they feel the cost of living has been forgotten about.
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One woman tells us: “I don’t know how people are going to live. They keep putting it up and up and up. It’s everything. You’re worrying about the gas bill, the electric bill, the council bill.
“And I know people that’s desperate and they cannot pay their bills and they’re worried about ending up in court.”
The cost of living crisis is being felt by this woman in Romford: ‘You’re worrying about the gas bill, the electric bill, the council bill’
Continuing to retrace our steps from three years ago, we head back to Barking in east London and revisit a launderette where we meet a familiar face – Myriam Sinon who has worked in the business for the last 10 years.
I ask her if she imagined we would be standing here three years after we last met and things wouldn’t have improved.
“I didn’t expect that it would be worse,” she says.
Despite rising energy prices, this launderette in Barking has chosen not to increase prices
Myriam Sinon, who works at the launderette, says customers are finding ways to share the cost of cleaning clothes
Myriam says electricity prices have quadrupled in the past three years – but the launderette has not increased prices, fearing it would drive customers away.
Everyone needs to wash things and she says people are finding ways to share the cost – gathering up washing from people they know to create a maximum load for the machines.
People are hoping to see an end in sight. But Myriam has a stark prediction if things don’t improve.
“There will be crime every time,” she says. “When people don’t get enough money they start stealing. They might kill you for a watch or phone.”
The grieving mother of a Scottish teenager who vanished for almost five weeks has told Sky News she believes a “third party” was involved in her son’s death – but police say there’s “no evidence” of that.
Cole Cooper, 19, was discovered dead in woods near Falkirk earlier this month following a missing persons inquiry his relatives don’t believe was taken seriously enough by police.
He was last seen on CCTV in May after leaving a house party, but police later revealed a former school friend had spoken to Cole a few days later nearby.
Speaking exclusively to Sky News, his mother Wendy Stewart, 42, revealed her son had “various arguments” in the days and hours before he disappeared.
Cole’s mum Wendy (L) and his aunt Aimee
In an emotional interview, she said: “He was only 19, he should never have been taken. I am never going to see him again. I never got a chance to give him a last cuddle and hold his hand.
“Someone has taken that away from me far too soon. Whether it be intentionally or unintentionally, I do believe there has been some involvement by a third party and the result is the death of Cole.”
The family, who organised a local vigil in Cole’s memory last weekend, have vowed to get “justice”.
Asked what that means, Ms Stewart told Sky News: “Finding the culprit and getting justice that way. Finding the person that is responsible for the death of my child.”
Police previously said 400 residents were spoken to during door-to-door enquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV footage was collected.
The 19-year-old’s death is being treated as “unexplained”, with a top police officer saying “at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement”.
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A vigil was held in Banknock for Cole Cooper. Pic: PA
Cole’s aunt Aimee Tennie, 32, revealed the family’s anger over the police handling of the case as they attempt to find out what happened.
She said: “We are aware of small details surrounding the weekend leading up to it with arguments. He had a few arguments over that weekend. We want the details re-examined thoroughly.”
Sky News put all of the family’s concerns and allegations to Police Scotland.
The force initially swerved our questions and responded saying: “Enquiries remain ongoing.”
In an update later on Wednesday morning, Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “We are carrying out significant enquiries into Cole’s death, however, at this time there is no evidence of any third party involvement.
“It is vital that we establish the full circumstances leading up to Cole’s death so that we can provide some answers to his family.
“The thoughts of everyone involved in this investigation are very much with his family and friends and officers will continue to offer them support and keep them informed as our enquiries progress.”
Ms Stewart claimed the probe has been handled “shockingly” with a failure to take her son’s disappearance seriously.
The 42-year-old said: “I have had to scream and shout from rooftops to be heard by the police. I don’t think they have handled it well.
“The police really need to take accountability and listen to families, they are reporting a missing child and understand the family knows their child best.”
Cole’s loved ones still have not been told when his body will be released to allow them to lay him to rest.
A member of Irish-language rap group Kneecap has appeared in court in London after being charged with a terror offence – as hundreds of protesters gathered outside.
Liam O’Hanna, or Liam Og O hAnnaidh, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
The charge against the 27-year-old, from Belfast, was brought last month after counter-terror officers assessed a video reported to be from a Kneecap concert at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on 21 November 2024.
O hAnnaidh arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, as a crowd of fans and supporters gathered with placards and flags outside.
O’Hanna (centre) arrived at court with his bandmates, including Naoise O Caireallain (below). Pics: PA
During a short appearance, O hAnnaidh confirmed his name and address, and was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing on 20 August.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told him he must attend court on that day.
Kneecap released their first single in 2017 and rose to wider prominence in 2024 following the release of their debut album and award-winning eponymous film – a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together and their fight to save the Irish language.
The group are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise – and have been vocally opposed to Israel’s military action in Gaza.
O hAnnaidh performs under the stage name Mo Chara, while O Caireallain is known as Moglai Bap, and O Dochartaigh as DJ Provai.
Pic: PA
They have built a following for their hedonistic anti-establishment tracks, but their outspoken stance has proved polarising – prompting a surge in streaming for their songs and, at the same time, resulting in several of their gigs being cancelled this year.
Last year, they won a discrimination case against the UK government after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was business secretary.
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