Pay rent, eat or keep warm? Growing numbers face hard choices as housing benefit gap grows

Wirral mother among renters turning to food banks as gap between a two-bed and housing benefit hits £158 a month – rising to as much as £324 in London Do you prioritise paying the rent, putting food on the table or keeping the house warm in winter? In practice, says Laura Braddock, a single mum ...

Source: [Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/23/pay-rent-eat-or-keep-warm-growing-numbers-face-hard-choices-as-housing-benefit-gap-grows)