Cash-strapped households could face a freezing winter as they face the stark choice of feeding themselves or heating their home, a Bradford charity has warned.

Christians Against Poverty, an international debt counselling charity based in Bradford, said that news that supermarket giant Tesco has slashed 3,000 of its prices on everyday items was “welcomed, but would not make a great deal of difference to people struggling to pay for eating and heating”.

Tesco, which is understood to have lost market share in recent weeks as consumers shop around for the best deals, recruited 14,000 of its staff at the weekend to change prices on milk, bread, fruit and vegetables.

But a recent national survey of more than 1,000 people by CAP found that more than 70 per cent of people sacrificed meals because they had no cash, with 37 per cent considering or attempting suicide as a way out of their situation.

“Things have got very tough for people this year and everything has gone up except salaries,” the spokesman said.

“That means that any disposable income people had previously has been squeezed and squeezed so it starts to be a choice between necessities, not luxuries. There are terrible choices to make, but if you are on a very low income you need to be even more savvy in what you do with that income.

“We know there is a lot of poverty in Bradford and, the thing is, when you haven’t got a lot to start with, it only takes a few changes to your circumstances to really notice.

“It can be the choice between feeding your family or heating your home.

“Anecdotally in Bradford we know it is happening. The poverty that exists is quite severe in places.”

The spokesman said that people get into debt more often than not because of a job loss, illness and bereavement or a combination of those factors.

Bradford-based Morrisons said it will not be following Tesco by engaging in a price war.

Julian Bailey, head of media relations for the chain, said that 40 per cent of products bought from the store were already on promotion.

“We are among the lowest priced and more than 11 million people shop with us every week so we are not complacent,” he said.

Sainsbury’s said that its own price-match policy had forced Tesco to take that kind of action.