Lisa McCallum, 44, of Creekmoor told the Daily Echo: “I think they should ask the government for more.

“If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

• Peggy Jarmey, 69, from Branksome, said: “The government should give more.

“There are a lot of elderly people here and lots are poor.”

• Kenneth Brett, 61, from Hamworthy, said: “A disabled neighbour used to get a lot of back-up and help from social services but hardly gets any now.”

• Mark Baker, 24, from Parkstone, said he understood how it felt to live on a budget.

“I have to do three jobs just to survive,” he said.