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 ?

[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

[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.

[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

[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.

[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

[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.

[DaphneDeloresMoorhead]

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