When it's freezing and you can't put the heating on and breakfast is porridge made with water...

[UndertheCedartree]

AIBU to wish so hard the uplift was never taken away? We were doing so well with that extra amount! But now that has gone and utilities have gone up we are left with little for food and heat.

Sorry, this is just a vent! Nothing anyone can do but I'm just feeling a bit upset this morning.

@julieca Click on that link I posted from the national autistic society. I posted as a short link but here's the long link. My son has ASD and gets DLA for it which will turn to Pip when he hits 18.
www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/benefits-and-money/benefits/types-of-benefit/personal-independence-payment

@Hankunamatata - we do have a library near us. It isn't open every day but that would be a good idea on the way home from school some days.

Typo I will have to apply for PIP for my son when he turns 18 but he's receiving DLA for his autism.

@dunkaccino

Another bed warming tip which is not what you asked for, is to use a hairdryer - 30 seconds and your bed is toasty.

My dh has been known to iron our bed when it is cold. You have to jump in quick though!

Do you have Foodshare near you?Ours in in the pm when the CoOp closes brought to the church and given to anyone who wants it .It is to save landfill.We ask for a £1 donation if you can spare it if not that’s not a problem.They will also deliver if you are stuck for transport.Lots of different food including bread.Hope you can find something like this and things improve for you soon.

I'm in the same boat OP. I'm too ill to work and I receive PIP, but we were just getting by with this and my UC. Removing this £20 has had a huge impact on so many of us and the Tories have no idea what it's really like to struggle to feed and clothe your children and to keep them warm, do they? Another vote for HWBs and dressing gowns over clothes here - I'd love to see them turn off the heating in the House of Commons for the day and see all those MPs shiver!

When I was in this situation I bought an electric blanket and we all slept in one bed with the blanket on, saved heating 3 rooms. Saturday afternoons were spent in bed too in one room with the blanket on. Wear layers and lots of them, it's awful and I'm so sorry your having to live like this

Do you like Dhal, OP? I saw a recipe in a Sunday supplement a few weeks ago and have made it several times since:

300g red lentils, 2 tbsp medium curry paste, pinch each of turmeric, cumin and dried chilli flakes, 1L hot veg stock, 400ml coconut milk, splash of lemon juice, salt, coconut yoghurt and Coriander (optional)

Put first 6 ingredients in a big pan, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins, add coconut milk, stir for 5 mins until creamy. Remove from heat and add juice and salt and add yogurt and coriander to serve.

This will feed 4 (generously), freezes well, is dirt cheap to make, very nutritious and bloody gorgeous.

The paste and spices will last for ages.

Apparently dry pasta when pre soaked in cold water for 2 hours then takes only 2 mins to cook in boiling water .

www.exploratorium.edu/food/recipes/low-energy-spaghetti

www.exploratorium.edu/food/soaking-pasta

@greta4563

Are you cooking from scratch? Youtube has lots of cook for £2.00 recipes. I just made three loaves of bread. (I shop at Aldi) 1 bag of flour 45p 3 packets of yeast 21p (from a pack costing 59p) salt nominal Olive oil (20p) 86p in total so 29p a loaf.

As well as the cost of the oven to bake them you also need a consistently warm place for the bread to actually rise in the first place.

I'm an olio volunteer and if I know people are struggling I will always give them a bit extra to help tide them. Do try olio or too good to go

OP, we have something like this as a space heater. A family member bought it for us after the heater in the bathroom broke and our landlord wouldn’t fix it. We use it to spot heat a room to make it more comfortable and make sure all doors in other rooms are closed to maintain the temp in the heated room. It is cheaper for me than turning on the heat.

www.argos.co.uk/product/9204993?clickSR=slp:term:space%20heater:2:12:1

we had no heating when I was a teenager, and we put a blanket (a sheet would work too) over the top of the duvet, and tucked it in all round.
that way the edge of the duvet never flaps up and the warm air is never lost. You have to slide in from the top, but it worked to well.

I also remember getting dressed in bed.
Or all going downstairs and getting dressed in front of the fan heater as it was the only warm spot in the house.

Put things along under the bottom of doors for draughts, close curtains for warmth, have a warm drink, even if you just wrap your hands round mug of hot water.

socks in bed, and 2 layers, not just one layer of pjs, but vest or t-shirt under them.

There are several community food schemes near us - food close to its sell by date being given out for free?
And also several churches who started weekly food parcels in the pandemic and are still doing it, in conjunction with the community food (so the food is donated as it is close to sell by date and they bring it to the door to get it into the hands of those who need it.)

Worth looking to see if there is anything near you.

At this time of year i would always buy a big polythene dust sheet (pound shop or similar) and a roll of celotape and cover my windows.

Those polythene dust sheets are ginormous once you've properly unfolded them, they are thicker than clingwrap, but thin enough to be easily see through and if you cut them wisely one sheet will do loads of windows.

Getting the cellotape stuck neatly onto the window frames around the edges is tricky but when you get to the last bit you can feel the draft blowing and fighting against the plastic and and trapping it out with the last bit of tape is SO satisfying!

Once all the windows are done you can feel the difference straight away. When it's windy the plastic gently sort of breathes in and out and again i used to find it reassuring hearing that and knowing it was all cold air NOT getting in!

I would take the whole lot off in April/March.

March/April even

Hi

I just wanted to add to try cash for kids, they can supply grants to households with children who need it. They als do a Christmas appeal to be able to provide Christmas presents to households with children and teenagers. It's from birth up to and including 18 yrs old. I know young people who have been able to acess vouchers for clothes etc and know families who have received help to buy new beds, a cooker things like that. If your local one isn't taking self referrals they should still take referrals from professionals so your Social Worker can refer you. My area (Cumbria) has an organisation called Cumbria Family Support and they are a wealth of knowledge about extra financial help , grants etc. as well as providing emotional support, hopefully you have something similar in your area.
I have been in this position as a child growing up and also at times as an adult and it's hard and can feel miserable.
Also, just to say on freegle app, people can post on there if there is anything you need as well as if you have something to give away. So if some extra bedding / curtains / clothes in certain ages or sizes would be useful don't be afraid to ask. As you will have seen already from the replies to your post, people are happy to help, and lots of people have been in a similar position so you're not alone.
I hope things can improve for you soon

@Mamamia7962

Are you renting OP? If you are it should be your landlord's responsibility to sort out repairs.

No not renting.

@UndertheCedartree check your pm lovely xx

@authenticforgery - that's ever so kind of you but my youngest is 9 x

@FancyNan

Typo I will have to apply for PIP for my son when he turns 18 but he's receiving DLA for his autism.

PIP starts at 16, just received the first form for my dd.

@elbea - that sounds very promising thank you.

Just a bit of reassurance for OP about the food apps if you're feeling a bit embarrassed using them. We use Olio all the time to offload spare fruit and veg that comes in our wonky boxes, and we just leave it on the windowsill to be collected. There are a huge range of people who use it for eco reasons, not just people who are struggling, so there's never any judgement about who is collecting what and how often.

Same with the too good to go app, a few of my commuter friends buy them as the collection time fits with them leaving work. Too good to go can be hit and miss with contents, depending on what's leftover that day e.g. loads of pastries but no soup/food to heat up, so not one for your last couple of quid!

Hope you manage to get some more help, it has felt really cold this week compared to a couple of weeks ago

Thank you @LilyMumsnet. Unfortunately this is absolutely genuine. However, well wishes and tips are all I need. It has been very kind posters offering items or money but honestly just taking the time to reply means so much! Thank you, all.

@greta4563 - I try to cook from scratch as much as possible but some evenings I just feel too tired.

@agent765 - I was already on UC for disability. Everyone on UC (should have) got it.

@NameChangedAgain5953 - thank you