大象传媒

Two women compare coping with the cost of living, 50 years apart. Today, soaring energy and food prices are leaving some struggling to afford basic necessities.

23-year-old Sophia, from Bury, is a single mum to her four-year-old, Layla, and a full-time student. She says her student finance barely covers her rent, and she's not entitled to any benefits because of it. She's been cutting back on using gas and electric, as well as missing meals to make sure the food stretches far enough.

She says she sometimes just has a slice of toast for dinner.

She meets Chris, who struggled with the impact of rapid inflation during the 1970s. Chris juggled three jobs and cut down on food - sometimes living on sandwiches given to her by a co-worker. A night school course and eventually a new job eased the pressure on her finances. Can her experiences of living on the breadline help Sophia through today's cost of living crisis?

Producer: Eleanor Layhe
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Studio Mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Emma Rippon