A taxi driver from Welling says he “hardly” sees his kids anymore as cost-of-living crisis pressures mean he has to work extra hours.

Kemal Kabak says that he is struggling to make ends meet at home and provide for his family of three.  

He leaves his house at 5am everyday to start his shift and doesn’t return home until 8pm most days.  

Kemal, who has two nine year-old daughters, is worried that he doesn’t have enough time to spend with them as they go to bed by 9pm.  

He told the News Shopper: “How can I spend time with the kids, relax from work and have dinner all in the space of an hour?

“It wasn’t like this before as I was able to both balance work life and family time together.

“This crisis has made life so difficult for us.”

Energy regulator Ofgem announced that from October 1, most people will pay around £1,570 more per year for gas and electricity. 

This means that the energy price cap is set to jump by 80 per cent to reflect the rise in wholesale energy costs for energy suppliers.  

Kemal, 50, said that the rise of petrol prices and the costs of soaring energy bills has also affected his relationship with his family. 

He said that his having to limit the things that he can buy, which can causes arguments between them.

Kemal said: "Although the cost of living financially affects our pockets, it has also affected our relationship. 

“For example, I get asked by my kids sometimes for toys but it’s hard to say no.

"If I do say no, they get angry and always compare themselves with their friends and they say to me: 

"They have this toy, so why can't we have that."

“It's really sad to hear these things, so this also pushes me to work the extra hours."

Kemal, who has been a driver for 15-years, wants to increase journey fares but doesn't want to take the risk of losing more customers.  

He added: “I’m having to fill up nearly an extra £80 for fuel every week.  

“It’s just ridiculous, I’ve never seen the price of fuel go this high.  

“It was up to nearly £2 per litre a couple months ago which got me really worried.  

“I’ve realised that I’ve lost customers as people are using the services a lot less now."

Kemal is now planning on working night shifts so that he can spend time with his kids during the day.

He explained: "My friends tell me that it's better to work the night shift. 

"It'll be better for me to spend a couple more hours with the family. 

"But I'm not sure how long I can keep this up for as I also need to think of myself."

Your Money Matters

Your Money Matters is a campaign launched by us and our sister titles across Newsquest to help you overcome the surge in the cost of living.

This year has seen a whole host of household price increases — from the energy price cap rise to surging inflation and food prices — costing your family hundreds or even thousands of pounds extra per year.

We’re making it our mission to look out for your cash, offering money-saving deals, competitions, giveaways and insightful stories from your community on the impact this cost-of-living crisis is having on our readers. The worldwide energy crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine invasion, the financial impact of the Covid pandemic, record inflation figures and a surge in the cost of goods, fuel and travel means we will all feel the pinch. Through our newspaper, we want to do what we can to help make your cash go further because we know your money matters.

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