Warm banks to open in public buildings across Stockport as residents face ‘long and difficult winter’

Warm banks are to open in public buildings and other locations across Stockport as part of efforts to help people tackle the cost of living crisis. It is feared residents will face a choice between heating and eating this winter after it was revealed last month that the price cap was set to rise to £3,549 in October.

That represents a leap of 80 per cent from earlier this year and £2,300 more than this time 12 months ago. However, Liz Truss is set to announce today that all household energy bills will be frozen at £2,500-a-year. But food prices are also up nearly 13pc in the year to July, while the RAC says petrol prices remain too high, despite record price drops last month.

The issue was raised at a town hall scrutiny meeting by Councillor Graham Greenhalgh, who warned people were facing ‘poverty’ and asked how the council could support those ‘who are genuinely in some distress about how they are going to cope through this coming winter?’ Coun Helen Foster-Grime, cabinet member for communities and housing, said she had been exploring a number of initiatives in preparation for the ‘harsh and difficult winter’ ahead.

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And she confirmed that warm banks - spaces where people who cannot afford to heat their home can go to keep warm - will be introduced over the colder months. “One of those things we are doing is looking at ‘warm spaces’ - a warm space project,” she told the meeting.

“We are all acutely aware that there will be many people - most of us actually - that are going to struggle, and are struggling already to pay our heating bills. And, as [committee chair] Coun Peers has said already, no greater than those that