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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Christmas now unaffordable

293 replies

purplepentagram · 02/12/2025 18:38

Is there even any point in me bothering with the tree, decs and all that goes with it. When I can’t even afford to do any shopping.
all you see in the news is all about how those on benefits are so better off and living a life a luxury…. Well can someone point me in the right direction cause our life sucks.
things were ok till my husbands health took a turn for the worse.which is also starting to effect our marriage - for that might as well be over an all. He is now under investigation due to neurological tremors and a few other things. I’m also disabled with physical and neurological issues. I get some pip and my husband gets carers.( he’s not applied for pip due to believing all the nastiness that’s currently going round) Our universal credit is 1085 a month after deductions. Our rent is 700 of that. So we’re living off less than 500 a month. By the time Iv paid all the bills there is nothing left. So what’s the point in even carrying on anymore. Things were manageable even after our youngest child dropped off our claim. ( he’s still in college full time and at home) my daughter has left and gone to uni. My eldest 2 have their own life’s. Am I wrong in telling them not to bother coming home this year and asking my son if he can find a friends to go to instead. We’re down to 2 meals a week, minimal heating due to the amount that British Gas is asking for each month. Iv cancelled everything I could from insurance policies to subscriptions, internet ( that’s due to go off any day now) life is miserable and I can’t seem to find anyway out. We can’t afford to move, or even get on the council list. All the local help has stopped applications and I can’t even get a food bank referral. There is nothing left in our town and trying to find work is impossible. Just keep getting refused. So no Christmas for us this year and the kids have all been told not to bother since there is nothing. I just feel that the only way would be if we wasn’t here to be a burden. We don’t have any other family or friends. So that’s not an option either. Rather fed up on life and how the news is portraying things when it’s way far from reality.

OP posts:
2dogsandabudgie · 02/12/2025 18:47

That sounds very hard OP. What deductions do they take off every month? Would you not be entitled to Housing Benefit. Your husband really should apply for PIP if you're struggling. Can you make an appointment at the Citizens Advice to make sure you are claiming everything you are entitled to?

BrieAndChilli · 02/12/2025 18:53

Have you looked on entitledto.com - you answer all the questions and it lets you know all of the benefits you are entitled to. Might be some things you didnt realise you could get

LadyKenya · 02/12/2025 18:54

all you see in the news is all about how those on benefits are so better off and living a life a luxury…

Don't believe the hype, would be my advice to you. Why has your Husband not applied for PIP? If he is awarded anything, the DWP do not make people wear a sign letting everyone know, that they are claiming.

2dogsandabudgie · 02/12/2025 18:54

Have just googled Universal Credit and I think you can still claim UC on your claim for a child who is at college plus child benefit.

TalulahJP · 02/12/2025 18:56

Get onto a charity such as the citizens advice and ask them to help you claim for everything you are entitled to.

LadyKenya · 02/12/2025 18:58

Are your older children working? Are they able to help out, with food, if you are finding it difficult to access from the food bank?

SwordToFlamethrower · 02/12/2025 19:01

I'm so sorry to hear this. Your husband should be entitled to pip and you should also get assistance with rent. I don't think you're claiming everything you're entitled to.

Sending warm wishes to you.

WallaceinAnderland · 02/12/2025 19:03

We’re down to 2 meals a week...

Is that a typo or are you really only eating twice a week?

EuroTour · 02/12/2025 19:04

How old is your son/is he at tertiary college? You should still get uc/cb until 20

ObtuseMoose · 02/12/2025 19:06

I find it hard to believe you're only eating twice a week.

GeorgeEdwardsMum · 02/12/2025 19:06

2dogsandabudgie · 02/12/2025 18:47

That sounds very hard OP. What deductions do they take off every month? Would you not be entitled to Housing Benefit. Your husband really should apply for PIP if you're struggling. Can you make an appointment at the Citizens Advice to make sure you are claiming everything you are entitled to?

No she won't as it's already included in UC, but only at the local housing rate. The LHR might be (for example) £600 per month, so if your rent in £1200 per month you have to pay it yourself from the rest of your UC that's meant for bills, food, etc.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 02/12/2025 19:07

I am sorry you are having such a shitty time. No one with half a brain believes most people on benefits are living the life of Riley, never mind if you are also managing disabilities.

On a practical level, your husband does need to apply for pip asap. Could you go and talk to citizens advice to get help with this.

Can your GP give you a foodbank / food larder referral?

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 02/12/2025 19:08

ObtuseMoose · 02/12/2025 19:06

I find it hard to believe you're only eating twice a week.

It's a typo for twice a day I imagine.

Which isn't at all ideal for two people grappling with illness in a cold house in the middle of winter.

ComtesseDeSpair · 02/12/2025 19:09

Unless you’re being deducted very heavily, it doesn’t sound as though you’re receiving all the UC you’d be eligible for, as two disabled people with limited capability to work. Your DH certainly needs to apply for PIP: there’s no point being proud or trying to avoid perceived nastiness (as a previous poster said, nobody needs to know you’re receiving it), if there’s money he can claim due to being disabled. Does your LA have a welfare advice service? Is there a local law centre or similar? Somebody who could help you navigate the system could be an enormous help here.

Cancelling Christmas is going to be miserable. Can your older adult children chip in for food and treats? I imagine they are worried for you, too

LadyKenya · 02/12/2025 19:11

It is terrible that so many people are in this type of situation, and yet gas, and electric prices just keep on rising. What are people meant to do, who cannot afford to eat, and heat their homes properly? It is so widespread now.

Burningbud1981 · 02/12/2025 19:13

EuroTour · 02/12/2025 19:04

How old is your son/is he at tertiary college? You should still get uc/cb until 20

Child element UC is paid up to August 31st after the child’s 19th birthday

Daisy12Maisie · 02/12/2025 19:14

I would still have the family round and just say we are skint this year so can you bring the crackers, then can you bring some veg and can you bring a chicken (to each of the children.)
I say chicken as I’m going to cook a chicken this year as it’s cheaper.
My teens are looking forward to Christmas as it’s a family event. I’ve told them I can’t get them big presents and I’m just making a cheap version of Christmas dinner and they don’t care. My 18 year old lives away from home so if I make frozen veg from the freezer and a chicken he will still be pleased to have a home cooked meal!

We will play some games. Actually, this sounds rubbish but we are going to play guess the road sign as we are trying to get my youngest to revise for his driving theory test. We have a pack of flash cards so we will do that for half an hour. Then just chat. Maybe go for a walk. I have put up some decorations that I had in the loft. They look old and tatty but my teens don’t care. I know it’s much harder with less money but I sometimes think it makes it more of a laugh with the kids.
I took mine on holiday for a week once and something broke in the house before we went so we had to literally eat supermarket versions of pot noodle and a bag of apples and bananas for the week whereas we were going to eat out a few nights. It wasn’t ideal but we did still have a nice time on the holiday.

On a separate note I agree with other posters that you need to make sure you are claiming everything you are entitled to.

witchespocus · 02/12/2025 19:16

Your UC sounds wrong. You should have an Lcwra element and a carer element on there. Maybe check your journal and see if they are included. What are the deductions for? You can request that these are lowered or paused if they are causing financial hardship.

Your husband needs to get a pip application in asap.

You can apply for a discretionary housing payment to bridge the gap between your UC housing element and your actual rent cost.

Why can’t you get a food bank voucher? Many charities can provide a voucher. Most communities now also have food pantry’s where you can get a couple of bags of food for 2 or 3 pounds.

EuroTour · 02/12/2025 19:21

Apologies @Burningbud1981 tax credits were paid upto 20. CB is still paid until 20

verybighouseinthecountry · 02/12/2025 19:24

Why have you only £500 pcm? You will have your PIP, your DH will have his carer element (another £200 pcm) and if you are not able to work you should be entitled to LCRW which is another £350ish pcm.

Pumpkinsonastring · 02/12/2025 19:39

Your adult children who have moved out and have their own lives should be the ones hosting Christmas now and if you get along they should be inviting you and their brother to join them. If they could afford to move out they presumably have jobs even if it's only minimum wage. So should be able to afford to host a Christmas meal, even if it's not lavish and they also can't afford the heating. You're obviously too poor to do it any more. If they don't realise this, I'd be brutally honest with them about your circumstances. Let everyone know you can't afford to buy presents this year.

I wouldn't buy anything new but I would put up the decorations you've got, just to try to cheer yourself up a bit. Unless you really aren't bothered about Christmas decorations? I know some people only do it for their children. I like the decorations though and have always done a tree no matter how skint I am. I've still got the 4ft plastic one I bought 15yrs ago, the cheapest fairy lights and packet of baubles, a star on top. Some Christmases there's only been me here, I've still put it up because I like it and it makes me feel part of the festivities.

Your husband needs to stop being precious. As a household you need the money. If he wants to be a dickhead about not claiming something he's entitled to due to the effort, hassle or judgement then I think it's probably time to separate finances. The UC claim is a joint claim, so you each take 50% of it, afterwards putting the amount needed for rent and bills from your own account into a joint account that is only used for paying rent and bills. The remainder stays in your own separate bank accounts.

Your husband gets the carer's allowance into his account. For that he's supposed to be providing 35hrs of care a week so never feel guilty about asking him for help if you need it. If he doesn't want to do the job then he needs to not be claiming the carer's allowance and you'd need to get onto social services for an assessment.

You get your PIP paid into your own account.

You'd each buy your own food, toiletries, clothes, medication, phone package, gifts for others, travel costs etc from your own separate accounts.

If you separate finances you might find that although quality of life is poor, you've got some money left after bills for discretionary spending, whether that's on nicer food occasionally or something like being able to go swimming once a month or whatever.

Your youngest child I think needs an honest chat about the situation. Fact is you can't afford to sub them through uni. They have accommodation there, some kind of income or grant/loan they're living off? They needs to stay there in their accommodation and continue funding themselves. You can't afford to have them home eating your food, using the water etc and you can't afford to keep a bedroom for them when they've basically moved out already. It needs to become permanent. Let them know that they'll need to secure their own accommodation after leaving uni because you can't afford to have them back.

I know it sounds mean but it isn't really. It's ridiculous that we've become a country where going to university is seen as both necessary and something people are entitled to do. It isn't. Sometimes people can't afford to go and that's ok. Sometimes people make whatever sacrifices they need to make to fund their own way through university and that's ok too. Your child needs to face the fact you can't afford this so either they pay their own way as they are now or if they can't then they get a job to enable themselves to do so. If that means dropping out of uni then so be it.

If you're eating only two meals a week then you're basically starving and it will have negative impacts on your brain, you won't be able to think logically any more and will have a warped thought process. You need to eat more, end of.

You can create a situation where you can do that either by moving to a smaller property now all your children have moved out or renting the youngest one's old room to a lodger, ensuring you charge enough that it will cover the utilities they'll inevitably use. It'll mean more money coming in and being able to afford to put the heating on as well as eat properly.

Continuing on as you are and just cancelling Christmas as an added misery, isn't going to help you.

Mayflower282 · 02/12/2025 19:45

oh wow, that sounds tough 😮 did you mean 2 meals a week, or 2 meals a day? Is there any work online you can do from home?

Frynye · 02/12/2025 19:46

Please drop into your local citizens advice. They can and will who you. They can even get you a food bank voucher and possibly even a fuel voucher

OhMaria2 · 02/12/2025 19:48

You can still access community fridges/ larders. Google them in your area. Anyone can use them as theyre designed to prevent food waste. Most are run by your local churches and they do different days so you could go to all of them theoretically

purplepentagram · 02/12/2025 19:53

No that was not a typo. I only eat twice a week if that.

son is now not eligible to be on our claim due to age, he’s not eligible for uc either due to being in college. If he could work he would but that’s complicated.
no my older children can not help due to them struggling as it is. Plus they are not aware of our problems for it is not something they should be worrying about.
I have 1 daughter who is in assisted living 1 who is only just surviving at uni - her student finance only just covers her accommodation she is on a 0hr contract and is lucky to even get 8hrs a week at times. My eldest has a family of his own. So this is not something that can be discussed with them.

We are claiming everything correctly.
Our universal credit is made up of
couple over 25 , rent , carers eliment
then they deduct the carers which leaves us £1085 a month

My pip is only 280 a month - I didn’t have it in me to do a mr out of fear that I would lose what I got.
no lcwra on claim
husband will not apply for pip due to the problems and stress I went threw to get the little bit I get.plus he needs all the relevant paperwork which he hasn’t got yet.

once Iv paid council tax ( no discount anymore) gas, electricity, water, there is next to nothing left to split between our other outstanding debts.
we gave up our pets, my car, so now we are practically housebound. I’m constantly being hounded by uc which is making my health worse. But you have to do what they say.

our citizens advice is never open. Step change couldn’t help because we didn’t owe enough out. Can’t get any help from the community due to a difference in beliefs and it also being very unsafe at times.

OP posts:
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