Does anyone know if there is any help to buy a cooker?

[lovedne]

Hi,
I am a regular user, but have changed my username as I am ashamed to be writing this. Does anyone know of any schemes/charities that may be able to help buy a cooker? I began receiving universal credit 2 months ago due to leaving my husband and I have 2DC one of which is severely disabled. I have just finished university and qualified in a great profession but due to leaving my Husband and now having to be the only carer for (in particular) my disabled DC I can't work at the moment. I am not able to get a budgeting loan from UC as I haven't claimed it for 6 months. I received a grant from the family fund 6 months ago before my situation changed. The charities I have looked at require a letter from someone such as a social worker which my DC doesn't have or an occupational therapist- but my DC has been discharged. I honestly thought when I qualified I would get an amazing job and things would be so much better. I never imagined I would be in this situation. Things are so tight at the moment and I have never felt so low. Please don't suggest saving up (as I need a cooker now and it would take such a long time to save) or getting one on finance (my credit history is now poor due to my husband leaving and being unable to pay the bills). Thanks

Also have a look on marketplace etc for halogen ovens, I've seen them for £10-£15 good second hand and they cook oven stuff really nicely (although obviously less space than a full oven) - might at least tide you over.

Maybe I misunderstand what a cooker is, but you said you have a working hob. Does that mean you just need an oven?

I agree with checking on nextdoor, olio, freecycle and gumtree.

Otherwise, some charity shops (red cross) have furniture branches that might sell whitegoods.

What about a smaller, bench top oven? Something like this? Again, possibly in a charity shop.

www.studio.co.uk/shop/homewares/kitchen-essentials/small-appliances/slow-cookers-steamers/egl-19-litre-table-top-mini-oven-24697729?source=TK1Q&utm_campaign=PLA%20%7C%20Recruitment%20%7C%20Best%20PLA%20Sellers%20%7C%20TK1Q&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkbuKBhDRARIsAALysV7jKw-Jcre5LjvMTrwsQuhXZY9iHL9NHTj3ZvLK06--kbyYPTVRtP4aAhsZEALw_wcB

An air fryer is great for cooking frozen food if that’s the sort thing your child will only eat. Around £40 had frozen chips and fish fingers for tea all down in 15min and much cheaper than putting the oven on for half an hour. You can of course cook for healthier things in them!

Don’t be ashamed to ask your friends for help

Where are you? For instance Birmingham (and some others in the Midlands now) have CT furniture, there's also a council referred one in Ladywood. Maybe CAB could refer you of there's one similar. BHF and shelter usually do white goods.

Join FB groups in your area both buy/sell and free, put up a polite request someone might be house clearing and not think to list them. Assuming electric so you won't need to pay a gas engineer to remove/fit?

@Drivingish

Look into 'floating support' or 'housing support worker' in your area. All areas work differently but there should be an agency/organisation in your area who can give you a support worker for a short time, eg 12 weeks, who can refer you for things like those schemes, write a supporting letter etc.

Agreed. Where in the UK are you OP? If Wales a DAF grant straight from the WA can help with this

@Spikeyplants
I have a cooker- as in a freestanding cooker (oven and job) the oven part is broke beyond repair and only one ring on the hob works.

I hadn't considered an air fryer! Great idea and may even tide me over until after Christmas when I could apply to UC for a budgeting advance to buy a cooker.

I wouldn't feel able to ask friends for help. I don't think they realise the financial hardship I have been in. I am just about managing to get by and things are okay, until an unexpected expense like this happens. Plus I would then have to pay them back (as couldn't expect them to give me the money!!) and things are already very tight and I couldn't face the humiliation of not being able to pay.

The buttle trust buttleuk.org/apply-for-a-grant/ I know you need a professional referral. Contact them and ask who can do this. It could be that a school employee or whoever can do this. The council is theoretically meant to be carrying out carers assessments fir you. The council disability social worker should br able to help you out. Your GP might be a good person to signpost to. I get your point that you need a cooker. A person with autism can have very firm views on how their food is cooked, for instance, and refuse to eat otherwise.

I don't want to say where I am as Incase its outing. England but not north, much further south. I can't see anything specific about floating support on my local authority website, but going to give them a ring on Monday to ask.

What foods does your child eat that can't be cooked in a microwave or on a gas ring?

(As mentioned above, we have managed without an oven for many months now.)

My understanding from my disability social worker is that the buttle Trust processes emergency grants for things like cookers and sorts within 24-48 hours

I’ve just been in same situation but DH bought an air fryer with shelves in it. Was a godsend. Had oven fixed recently but have got so used to the air fryer the oven has become a bit redundant

I hadn't considered an air fryer! Great idea and may even tide me over until after Christmas when I could apply to UC for a budgeting advance to buy a cooker

Or a George Forman grill OP! You can cook most things on those and pick them up cheap in somewhere like b&m/home bargains. They usually start at £20 for a small one and you can get a family sized one for £40.

eBay might help

I don't feel like I need a carers assessment. I can manage day to day. Things are hard but there are people in a much worse position then me. I don't want to take services from someone else who desperately needs the help. It's just big expenses like this that are difficult. I am too scared to approach school as I don't want them to think I can't cope or provide basic things for my DC. Obviously if I have to then I will, I just can't believe I have got myself into this situation. I feel so down and low about the whole thing. I thought some land of golden opportunities was waiting for me when I finished university. I worked so hard and achieved a first class degree which I now can't use as the caring role of my disabled DC just feels overwhelming. Sorry for offloading, it just all feels to much sometimes

Who did you ask to fill in the family fund form then? As when I was going to apply it said a professional needed to sign it, can’t you ask the person who filled in the family fund form to refer you

Could you post on Next Door, or get a friend to do it for you? I occasionally see requests for goods on ours, when people are in hardship, and there are always loads of offers of help - somebody is always wanting to get rid of the thing the person needs. Just this week I’ve seen people offer TVs, a microwave and a pram.

I put down my DC's teachers details. Not sure if she was ever contacted but as my DC receives high rate care an assessment wasn't required.

That was in reply to
@TurnUpTurnip sorry I should have said

Do you have a local church that you could contact? In the village where I live the vicar and volunteers are wonderful, always helping out those families in need, and no connection to the church required. Definitely reach out to them you'll be surprised just how much they can help.

Hi OP, most councils run crisis schemes for emergency loans. If your cooker isn’t working and you can’t prepare food for yourself and your kids, hopefully this will count as an emergency. Contact them and ask.

The princess royal trust for carers (think its now Carers Trust now) used to do grants for thisvtype of thing

Keep an eye on marketplace and local FB groups
I gave away a brand new halogen cooker as it was taking up room!

Our health visitor referred us to a charity which gave us a cooker and fridge freezer. Could you ask yours?

Just looked at FB market place near me and there are several listed for free and a fair few around £30-50