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FOOD PRICES
Visits to supermarkets returned to their highest level since March 2020 as people went into stores to do their Christmas food shopping, figures released today by market research firm Kantar show. Winifred discusses spending trends over the festive period with the Head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, Fraser McKevitt.

COST OF LIVING
The cost of living is expected to rise sharply next year in large part due to steep increases in energy bills and food prices. That could mean even more hardship for families on the breadline and on benefits who are already struggling to stretch their finances to meet life’s essentials.

Reporter Jay Unger joins single mum Carla from Oldham in Greater Manchester as she visits a food hub run by The Bread and Butter charity to see how it helps her save money on food and provide her family with nutritious meals.

CAR TAX CHANGES
As more electric cars hit the road we look at the options the government could consider as they seek to recoup the loss of earnings from fuel duty revenue. Currently drivers pay around £30 billion in fuel duty every year and that money is used to maintain the roads network. According to the RAC Foundation, the switch to entirely electric cars could see the exchequer losing about a third of that income. We speak to Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy for the RAC about potential alternative schemes that could replace fuel tax.

NEW DIVORCE LAW
The introduction of a new ‘no-fault’ divorce law will come into force in April this year. We speak to Professor Liz Trinder Professor of Socio-legal Studies at the University of Exeter Law School and solicitor Amanda McAlister about what the changes mean and whether changing the adversarial aspect to divorce will reduce the stigma of marriage breakdown and encourage a more conciliatory approach to couples going through a divorce.

LIFE AFTER ALCOHOL
Listener, Sam Thomas, shares his story of life in recovery after an occasional drink turned into an alcohol dependency he didn’t realise he had until he tried to stop. Sam tells Winifred that prior to starting drinking at 24 he was someone who went to the gym everyday. But following the death of his Mum he began to drink more at home alone and found himself in a residential detox facility by the age of 32. Now sober Sam, who is writing a book, wants to share his story to help others.

PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON

PRODUCER: CATHERINE LUND