new figures show a record number of children are being referred to the nhs in england for specialist mental health care. cheering. excitement in beijing the winter olympics opening ceremony is just hours away with british athletes aiming to challenge for medals in more events than ever before. millions of households are bracing themselves for what the bank of england is calling the biggest squeeze on living standards for more than 30 years. it s after the largest ever increase to the energy price cap was approved by the regulator, ofgem meaning gas and electricity bills in england, scotland and wales will go up to nearly £2,000 a year. the government has announced measures to help cushion the blow but critics say they don t go far enough. theo leggett reports. for hussain and halima master, who have three kids,
and now it s £250, and that s even before the next increase that we ve just incurred today. for peter in wellingborough, who is an agency worker, it means tough choices. i have to dress like this every day. i have to take cold showers. i get out of my cold shower, i stand shivering, because i cannot or dare not put on the gas so i ve got no heat when it comes to getting some money and all my bills are getting paid, it s a toss up between do i do heating or do i put food on the table? eat or heat? the catchphrase of this perfect storm of rising energy prices, food prices and interest rates. in sheffield, i meet brian who is on disability benefits. he tells me his children now help him and his wife with groceries. how does that feel to be in a situation where your kids are helping fill the cupboards? terrible. you are skint? yeah.
sports centre throughout the day. let s return to our top story. millions of households are bracing themselves for what the bank of england is calling the biggest squeeze on living standards for more than 30 years. it s after the largest ever increase to the energy price cap was approved by the regulator 0fgem, meaning gas and electricity bills in england, scotland and wales will go up to nearly £2,000 a year. the government has announced measures to help cushion the blow but critics say they don t go far enough. theo leggett reports. for hussain and halima master, who have three kids, rising energy bills means life is getting tougher. it s gone up again, hasn t it? yeah, to 250 that s crazy, that. hussain has a full time job, but they are struggling to make ends meet. we have looked into the local food bank. 0n the weekends, they have it open to the public where you pay a couple of pounds and fill your bags up. so we have had a look at that and we have started to kind of use that.
go up even further to more than £2000. 0fgem says some 22 million households will pay more, though customers on fixed rate deals won t be affected for the moment. i know people are worried about the cost of living, and in particular about rising energy bills, and that s why we re taking direct action with an energy bills rebate, which will provide the majority of families with £350 of financial support to help them adjust to those higher prices. the government will provide £200 towards each household s energy costs in october. but it will have to be paid back through their bills later. most households in england will also get a discount of £150 in april. it will be available for homes in council tax bands a to d and won t need to be repaid. but critics say the government hasn t done enough. they describe the oil and gas companies one of the cabinet ministers as struggling. i m afraid that shows how out
from you, but you must hear the stories from people who need that support. i hear other stories and i can relate to the stories because i have been there myself and i have received food parcels. but a lot of people say i would not have come if i did not have the children. we are helping but what about that small majority of people who do not have children and who do not know where to turn or do not want to ask for help? they will be sat there with no gas, electricity and no food m. we have tot gas, electricity and no food m. we have got news of this £200 rebate and there is money coming back from the council tax, make? and there is money coming back from the counciltax, make? it and there is money coming back from the counciltax, make? the council tax, make? it will be a bit hel- the council tax, make? it will be a big help from the council tax, make? it will be a big help from some the council tax, make? it will be a big help from some families i the council tax, make? it will b