How do I survive when the £80 stops...

[barryclarry]

Hi In February I had to make a UC claim as I had to leave my full time job due to my deteriorating mental health.
I have no kids and I live alone.
I have been providing fit notes to the job centre but still haven't had a medical.

During the 5 week wait I had to take out a advance.
They are taking £65 from my money a month to pay this off.
My payment next month will be £553
£330 is my rent
£60 is my gas /electric
£25 is my broadband
£40 other debts including my water rates
That is £455
I will have £98 to last the month for food and anything else.
(Sorry if my calculations are slightly out )

I'm panicking.
I don't know how I'm going to manage tbh
Is anyone else gonna struggle ?

[DaphneDeloresMoorhead]

Olio and Too Good To Go are great money savers if you're not fussy about food

[PerseverancePays]

I think the only way to get by is to have a little cash in hand work, like walking a dog or doing a bit of driving for an older person. I know it’s illegal but you know what? The national poverty line is £147 a week for a single person, but UC is £81 a week and that’s legal, £4212 a year. Try managing on that.
It’s not possible to cover the basics on that. Do people need to be openly humiliated for the situation they find themselves in ? What purpose does that serve? If they can drive someone to their appointments/ shopping , wait for them, have a bit of a chat , what harm are they doing ?
All UC and the bits they earn are unlikely to amount to the tax threshold, but UC would like 65p out of every £1 earned . Yeah right should they be handing that over.
It’s a horrible way to live and nobody would voluntarily choose it. And before you start worrying about all the ‘scammers’ out there living the high life on benefits, remember that all the times a benefit recipient is overpaid, and it’s very common, that counts as fraud. Not their mistake but paraded as benefits fraud.

[TollgateDebs]

This is available through Job Centres and don't let them fob you off! They also have other flexible funding to help with some expenditure for those looking for work - ask, as they don't always volunteer the information. www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/27/uk-jobseekers-are-offered-six-months-of-free-broadband

[Kona84]

Let a PIP assessor decide if you are unwell enough. It’s not means tested and even if you work you can still receive it.

[gogohm]

What work do you think you can you? Could you work part time perhaps? Does it have to be wfh? There's so many vacancies currently as a job seeker you have a lot more power than normal to state the hours you can work for instance

[BlueberrySugar]

OP, I'm in Hampshire won't say exactly what part but if you're near or in Hampshire give me a PM if you want too.

I'd quite happily put meals up for people who need them. Especially with the colder weather coming in.

Understand if you don't want too or you're too far out.

[YerAWizardHarry]

@butterpuffed it will have been agreed to be spread over 12 months, it isn’t “wrong” but yes she can request to spread it further

[butterpuffed]

OP, that £65 a month repayment doesn't sound right .Give them a call, you should be able to request up to 24 months to pay it off.

[SmileyClare]

It's hard not to lose hope and get very down in your situation Op.

I often see food banks suggested on these sorts of threads. The way universal credit is set up is forcing people to food banks, it's shocking. Food banks are set up to help people in financial crisis, they are never going to be a long term solution for people who have no way out of their situation for the foreseeable future.

For example, in my area you need a voucher to access the food bank to receive one week of food.. That voucher has to be issued by a gp (yes doctors are prescribing food!) , a social worker or the police.
Only three vouchers are allowed to be issued in a six month period. Add in the humiliation of having to ask for food at a local church or something.

I've resorted to buying huge sacks of oats and filling up on those in the morning so I don't need to eat during the day. It's a cheap way to eat but probably not particularly healthy! Most people would rather resort to these measures than "flaunt their poverty" as someone suggested upthread. What on earth?!

My husband has been left unable to walk and smashed both arms in an accident and we've had to go on Universal Credit. It's opened my eyes to how badly treated people unable to work due to illness/disability are.
It takes almost a year to have illness or disability claims processed and it usually goes to appeal without good reason.

The system is broken and I'm finding it hard to keep going and not feel bitter. So sorry you're struggling op, you're not alone

[Larryyourwaiter]

In fact my local church has just put up a post telling people to come in to take some food and have a hot meal. I know they do bacon butties a few mornings a week and offer advice where to go and get help.
I used to go baby group there and they were always trying to get us to take the leftover baked products they got from Sainsbury’s as they had so much.

[Larryyourwaiter]

I came on to say look at what food initiatives you have locally. There’s a whole variety near me now that I see on FB. You shouldn’t be ashamed to use food banks. Your priority is paying off the debt and hopefully getting ahead a bit and that’s what they are there for.
Do you live near family, even they can’t support you can they feed you once a week?

[juggler82]

Have a read of this:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/on-universal-credit/if-youre-worried-about-getting-less-universal-credit/

Hope it helps.

[Plumtree391]

Don't take any notice of me, BarryClary, I was imitating another thread.

[Em308]

.

[theseoldbone]

The other thing is contacting the local Sikh temples. They often provide food for the community. Worth a look

[Peppaismyrolemodel]

If you know anyone with an allotment there is a glut of potatoes where we are too! 💪

[Peppaismyrolemodel]

@barryclarry

My thread was never intended to make anyone uncomfortable nor was it a "look how poor I am"
Up until the beginning of the year I had a comfortable life with a decent paid job.

You have no reason to explain yourself! No one here thinks badly of you- only ‘plum’

[theseoldbone]

@barryclarry

My thread was never intended to make anyone uncomfortable nor was it a "look how poor I am"
Up until the beginning of the year I had a comfortable life with a decent paid job.

Pay no attention love

[barryclarry]

My thread was never intended to make anyone uncomfortable nor was it a "look how poor I am"
Up until the beginning of the year I had a comfortable life with a decent paid job.

[Plumtree391]

IfImLyingImDying, I know. .

[LouLou789]

Approach your energy company too. All of the major ones seem to have schemes for people with lower incomes, and they never publicise them. Water companies only seem to help if you are behind on payments. Can you get cheaper broadband?
Check out local food help schemes as there are often community initiative as well as official food banks. Look at these people, they have lots of contacts around the country : twitter.com/rosecommunitygp?s=21

I am so sorry you have this to worry about in addition to your health problems

[Guacamole001]

If possible visit your local large supermarkets when they do the big discounts for example my local Asda has a section of ultra reduced items at 730pm each evening. Not been myself as I dont need to but the staff can tell you what time they do the knockdown prices each day. HTH.

[CiaoForNiao]

@Mombie2021

I would get chasing them up for the medical, that’s an appalling wait!

I applied for UC and LCWRA in June after suspending my degree due to my own health and my DDs health, and I’m still waiting, but to be waiting since February is a fucking joke, especially when general UC is so low and you are ill.

I've been waiting over a year! Apparently I was turned down and appealed... only that didn't happen

[IfImLyingImDying]

@Plumtree391

I feel sorry for you op but if you post about your meagre finances on here, you'll be making people who are better off feel awkward and that really isn't fair.

At least you only have yourself to feed on £98 per month. That's about £24 a week, roughly £3.50 a day. If you are careful, you will manage on that. Buy some cheese, tomatoes and baking potatoes.

Good luck and - be discreet; it's not cool to flaunt your poverty.

Oh fucking boohoo. Is that you Boris Johnson? Easy to feel awkward when you’re not wondering where your next meal is coming from isn’t it.

[emuloc]

@theseoldbone

Or stop politicians giving contracts to their mates at non competitive rates

MPs ludicrous expenses?

Subsidised lunches?

There's money leaking out all over the place and they have us believing the only way the poor can be supported is if taxes rise so we all turn on each other and say oh no. We don't want that

This. Why are the politicians still able to cream the fat of the land in plain sight. At the same time, the poorest of society receive less and less. What is going on? Why is this being tolerated?