Ann and Keith Hartley never expected to spend their retirement years in Burnley, a town in northern England that has been affected worst by the cost of living crisis in Britain, where they would have to forego lunch every day and watch television under blankets to stay warm.
Due to rising energy costs caused by the conflict in Ukraine and double-digit inflation at local stores, the Hartleys, who are now in their 70s, have resorted to limiting even cups of tea.
The Centre for Cities think tank reports that among the millions of Britons facing a tough winter, the 95,000 people living in Burnley are the most vulnerable to the economic shockwaves.
As a result of having to spend more of their income on necessities, which have witnessed the greatest price rises, the people living in these areas are experiencing the highest effective rate of inflation in mainland Britain, as reported by the Centre for Cities.
According to the think tank's estimations, consumer prices in Burnley rose by 11.7% in the year up to September, which is higher than the national average of 10.1% and the 9.1% seen in London.
Britain is now in the midst of a recession that is projected to last for some time. On Thursday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is scheduled to unveil a series of tax increases and expenditure cutbacks that are intended to hasten the economy's recovery.
Very few families, however, plan so far ahead. The Hartleys are able to make ends meet on a monthly pension of $1,173 (just over 1,000 pounds).
"Whether or whether it's due to the fact that we're so much older, the two of us have seen a difference. The temperature outside is really low. To save money, we're just eating twice a day now "Former personal assistant Ann Hartley, now 71 years old, made that statement.
It's not only the current generation in Burnley that are feeling the pinch of the economy; previous ones are as well.
Wendy Pollard, a 42-year-old bookseller and mother of two, was taken aback by the realization that she had to use the money she had set aside to take her kids on vacation to buy necessities like bread and milk.
She questioned if you would have believed her five years ago: "Who genuinely imagined five years ago that you would be there, freezing on a couch with a hot water bottle, trying to find out the best and most effective method to dry your washing?"
LOSING GROUND
Many people in Britain share Pollard's surprise that the country has the sixth biggest economy in the world when so many people live in poverty.
The lack of investment in social services, the disparities between different regions, and the unreliability of the railway system, particularly outside of London, have all contributed to this gloomy outlook. However, cities like Burnley have seen no economic benefits from Britain's decision to leave the European Union.
The Resolution Foundation is a think tank that found that the bottom 20% of British families are now 20% poorer than their counterparts in France and Germany.
Many British citizens, according to surveys, are concerned that their nation is moving in the wrong path, posing a serious problem for Prime Minister Sunak, whose Conservative Party has governed the country since 2010.
The Bank of England anticipates a protracted downturn, suggesting that things will worsen before they improve. In the Group of Seven, Britain is the only economy that has not fully recovered from the COVID downturn.
To local government officials like Afrasiab Anwar, leader of the opposition Labour party and Burnley Councillor, Jeremy Hunt's promises to protect the poor and offset expenditure cutbacks with tax increases are cold comfort.
There has been a rise in the number of foodbanks, where those in need may get food packages, according to Anwar, who blames the current administration.
Since 2013/14, Burnley has seen a reduction in annual funding from the central government of 5 million British pounds. Anwar warned that cuts to essential services will result from any additional reductions.
He claims that this winter would have been quite different without the government cutbacks to programs that may have enhanced housing stock over the last decade.
Charities, the voluntary sector, the community sector, and the faith sector shouldn't have to do what they are, according to Anwar.
Data from the House of Commons Library reveals that in certain sections of Burnley, half of all children are living in absolute poverty. Absolute poverty is defined as having a family income of less than 60% of the area's median income in 2010/11.
It is not necessary to spend a lot of money to help the poorest families, according to National Institute of Economic and Social Research economist Adrian Pabst.
It would cost 4.7 billion pounds, or 0.2% of economic output, to create a fund to help struggling homeowners with rising mortgage costs and to increase welfare payments by 25 pounds a week ($29), which would prevent 250,000 people from falling into poverty.
Pabst remarked that it was "extraordinary" to suggest that the country could not afford to spend 0.2% of GDP on aiding the poor.
Father Alex Frost of St. Matthew the Apostle Church in downtown Burnley reports a rise in the number of requests he receives for help paying heating costs and providing hot meals.
"Society as we know it today is broken. We can't fix it. Indeed, it's utterly damaged; "A statement he made.
There are locals for whom a trip to Tesco constitutes an exciting day out.
Many residents of Burnley credit the city's unwavering sense of community with helping them weather recent difficult times. Modern producers giving people reason to have faith include Safran SA (SAF.PA).
Ann Hartley, who claims to have been prescribed medication to help with her symptoms, says that she longs for simpler times when she can do things like take her car out for a spin on a Sunday.
"We're hoping for a cozy environment. I'm not a rich person, but I can support myself "as she put it.