Governments shore up banks with taxpayers' money while taxpayers struggle to meet the rising cost of living.

It is a Catch 22 situation and one there seems no way out of while the R word and, heaven forbid, the D word hang heavy in the air.

The upshot is that everyone suffers in one way or another.

People wonder whether their pensions will be worth the paper they are written on. They worry whether their house is a nestegg or a liability. And they fret their savings will be lost in a huge worldwide black hole.

With winter approaching, the choice for some, and not just pensioners, is as stark as this. Eat or heat. And that cannot be right in a modern, first world country.

Meanwhile the culpable, those largely responsible for getting us into this mess, live it up in luxury, courtesy of inflated salaries and obscene bonuses.

In concentrating on the big picture, it is easy to overlook the plight of individuals.

Halifax and Calderdale branch of the Samaritans has seen a 25 per cent jump in the number of calls in the last two months. These are increasingly about financial fear and debt.

The Samaritans offer absolute confidentiality and the chance for people to discuss their deepest worries.

There are 80 volunteers and more are needed.

They cannot fix a person's financial commitments, but by listening and discussing their problems can help them come to terms with their predicament.

As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved.

It would be nice to think the finance houses and utility companies adopt a caring and more lenient attitude through these tough times.

But don't hold your breath.