Cost of living

Wigan-based confectionery brand Uncle Joe's Mint Balls has reported a rise in sales which it has put down to the cost of living crisis.

As well as mint balls, the company produces flavoured sweets using rhubarb and ginger, sugar free varieties and a range of other treats, as well as a special limited addition Uncle Joe's Gin. "As a result of the cost of living crisis, people are eating more sweets and the sweets that they are eating are the traditional kind, which we make." The ownership has been passed down through the family generations and joint managing directors John Winnard MBE and Antony Winnard are the great, great nephews of the company's founder.

Household Support Fund payments of £80 per child are available to help the most vulnerable people over the winter. Cornwall Council said the Post Office had ...

"Unfortunately it's taken the Post Office a little longer to create these payments than was originally expected so schools may not have enough time to issue all codes before the end of term." "We'd hoped that codes would be sent to schools this week, before the end of term, so they could be redeemed for cash at Post Offices before Christmas. Cornwall Council said the Post Office had taken "a little longer to create these payments than was originally expected".

After discovering from the municipality that they would not get their payments from the Household Support Fund until after the holidays, several parents ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). Since the less fortunate individuals won't be attending school to get a meal during the holiday break, it is clearly of the highest urgency to get this money into families' hands so they won't go hungry. She said they had received the government cash months ago but had delayed until the deadline to handle the matter, resulting in families being negatively affected. [Lisa Edmunds](/topic/lisa-edmunds)left a comment on the Facebook post that the council had published. The council is in charge of administering contributions from the [Household Support Fund](/topic/household-support-fund)of £80 per child eligible for free school meals. [cost-of-living](/topic/cost-of-living)allowances until after the winter break.

Parents say they will struggle after the council said that some would have to wait until after Christmas to get the Household Support Fund payments.

One commenter defended the council staff on the ground involved in the project, Zoe Gordon said: “I want to thank the tiny free school meals team for their hard work at trying to sort this debacle on top of their day to day work of making sure all children entitled to free school meals received them ASAP in school. You've had 11 months of the year to do it in preparation ready for Christmas but now just on top of Christmas there is a delay which may mean families cannot eat or survive Steve Double MP for Newquay should be looking into this now to get payments out to those families that were expecting this payment before Christmas." Responding to the council’s Facebook post Lisa Edmunds said: “They had this money months ago from the government but instead of sorting it straight away they have left it until the deadline and now families have to suffer. this is literally taking food off of people's plates." How much effort is it really to send the codes yourself? The poor souls are going to starve this Christmas because they ain’t at school to have a meal so surely it is with the most importance to get this money to families so that doesn’t happen. Unfortunately it’s taken the Post Office a little longer to create these payments than was originally expected so schools may not have enough time to issue all codes before the end of term. And Louise Howlett said: “I was hoping for this money this week so I could buy some extra food for over Christmas, many people like myself are struggling but as always we make do as people like you mess things up. In a statement issued on social media the council said: “We’re working hard to ensure families of eligible school children receive their £80 per child cost of living support payment as soon as possible. "What a shoddy sh*t show that you've decided to blame the only company that you've assigned this task to. The council has been administering the Household Support Fund payments which provide £80 per child for those who are eligible for free school meals.

Struggling parents have criticised Cornwall Council after it was revealed that cost of living payments for families who receive free school meals…

One commenter defended the council staff on the ground involved in the project, Zoe Gordon said: “I want to thank the tiny free school meals team for their hard work at trying to sort this debacle on top of their day to day work of making sure all children entitled to free school meals received them ASAP in school. And Louise Howlett said: “I was hoping for this money this week so I could buy some extra food for over Christmas, many people like myself are struggling but as always we make do as people like you mess things up. Responding to the council’s Facebook post Lisa Edmunds said: “They had this money months ago from the government but instead of sorting it straight away they have left it until the deadline and now families have to suffer. The poor souls are going to starve this Christmas because they ain’t at school to have a meal so surely it is with the most importance to get this money to families so that doesn’t happen. It just further proves how utterly out of touch you are with Cornish people.” “We understand how important additional financial support is at this time.

At Henry Tudor School, the team from Pembrokeshire council support families to get pupils back into class. Family engagement officer Emily Morgan starts her day ...

James White, head of engagement and communities in the council's education department, said in "a very small number of cases" parents would be fined or prosecuted if the family does not work with them to address poor attendance. "I've got everything crossed. The council's campaign "It starts in School" is part of its strategy to improve attendance. She wants to get that education, she wants to socialise and she's just struggling at the moment." "She was getting more and more withdrawn, and then it was a total refusal to go." The visit is about offering further support to a family with the promise of a Christmas hamper from the school to ease worries about coping over the holidays.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.3 per cent increase. Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “Retail sales fell overall in ...

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While consumers are spending 4.2% more than a year ago, they are focusing on essentials like food and footwear, with overall sales volumes down 5.9%. At a 5% ...

According to research group GfK, consumer confidence edged up two points in December compared to the previous month. The disappointing retail sales data comes despite a slight improvement to consumer confidence in the UK. At a 5% decline, online shopping has decreased less than overall retail sales volumes.

Black Friday and the run-up to Christmas fails to deliver boost for retailers.

“We doubt there is a sustained recovery in retail sales volumes in the pipeline. “Christmas, traditionally has always been very strong and much more resilient than at other times of the year. He added: “People are having to spend their money on other things and there’s less disposable income.” We have a very long final week but ahead of us. And despite inflation probably having reached its peak, we think high prices will continue to keep retail sales volumes subdued. “The 0.4 per cent fall in retail sales volumes in November resumes the downward trend seen across most of the year.

British retail sales slid unexpectedly in monthly terms in November, a potential indication of the stress felt by many households as the cost-of-living ...

"We doubt there is a sustained recovery in retail sales volumes in the pipeline," Cross said. In the latest warning sign that Britain's economy might have entered a recession, retail sales volumes dropped by a month-on-month 0.4% from October. 28, which will be included in December's figures. Compared with a year earlier, retail sales in November were 5.9% lower, the ONS said, a slightly steeper fall than forecast in the Reuters poll. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story "The fact that not even the World Cup and Black Friday Christmas shopping could produce an increase in sales will come as a major disappointment to retailers, especially considering the increase last month," said Lynda Petherick, retail lead at consultancy group Accenture in the UK and Ireland.