I'm going insane with worry

[Diamondsareforever123]

I just don't know where to turn. I'm a pensioner of 68. I get state pension and small work pension. Takes me just over limit for UC. I'm on about £14k a year. I live in a social housing flat. I can't afford the fuel bills at the moment and am terrified that from next April the lot will increase. That's rent, council tax, fuel, water rates - obviously food will increase. I'm not going to have enough money to cover all of this. I'm in my own. What in god's name am I going to do? I think I'll have to get a job but who is going to employ me now? I am in a major panic.

Everyone I know in your situation (and it's a fair few) is either taking supermarket shifts or moving in with adult kids to provide childcare in return for subsidised living.

Have you done a calculation to check you are receiving everything you are entitled to?
Use gov.uk website www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
There are also lots part time jobs about, if you are able.

That link didn't work. Use Gov.uk website and search 'benefits calculator'

Does your rent come out of the 14k?

@Diamondsareforever123

(((HUG))) everything is that bit scarier when you're on your own!

Do you have siblings/friends in a similar situation. Do you have adult children?

what did you do for work before you retired?

Fuel bills - get in touch with your supplier and tell them what you've told us. My supplier gives help and support for people struggling, your's probably does.

Work - depending on what you did before retiring, register with a temp agency, try and get some supermarket work, local shops, pub.

And to all the people whining on about 'rich pensioners' yesterday - this is the reality for a lot of them.

Do you have an extra bedroom that you could rent to a lodger?

do you get council tax relief ? have you applied for it at the local council?

have you tried contacting age concern about looking at your finances to ensure you are claiming everything you are entitled?

Can we help you to reduce your utility bills?
Can you tell us a bit about your usage? How much the bills are etc and what appliances you use . The type of heating and size of your property?

Do you get a single person discount on your water bill if you aren’t on a meter?
Or maybe change to a meter?

Thanks so much for your responses and helpful advice. I don't have kids and no family. I live in a one bedroom flat so couldn't get a lodger. My rent comes out of the £14k pa. My last job - in 2020 - was an English as a second language teacher. The school closed due to Covid. I'll see if I can get another job. I'm going to contact age concern because I can't see anything getting better, just worse really. I think a lot of this is my fault because I've been stupid with money all my life. Anyway thanks again.

Pay the council tax you would pay if you were getting council tax relief. Very unlikely they will take you to court and if they do, present them with your ingoings and outgoings and ask them to sort out the mess. Let them worry instead of you.

Could you take out some equity release?

OP is in rented flat

Sorry. I mis-read.

What about looking at some of the online TEFL providers? You might be able to get some part time work from them?

Take a look at this www.teachaway.com/schools/preply

You do need a very good laptop and be prepared to work evenings to teach English online to foreign students.

What about some tutoring or invigilating? Also are you claiming single persons council tax discount.

Thanks again everyone. I'm going to investigate teaching online. I don't mind doing evenings. I get single person CT discount. I've got to get organised and not panic. It's just when I realised from the autumn yesterday that there would be zero financial help for energy bills from next April, it threw me over the edge. Anyway thanks again

*autumn statement

It is all scarier alone, you have my sympathy. Try and get rl support, nothing beats it. Take a moment to panic as and when you need it, but realistically you need to try to re-enter the workforce. Good luck

It really does feel like it's very much looking after ourselves for many of us.

I know it'd take a while for it to happen, but is there any chance you could get a different flat at a lower rent?

Might not to your thing, but would you be interested in being a mid-day supervisor at a local primary school? We have one lady who's in her late 70s and a couple in early 60s.

Sorry you're going through this. You shouldn't have to worry about paying the basic bills after you're done your time and should be totally retired.

At age 68 it would be Pension Credit, not UC. You are likely over the threshold, but that doesn't mean you couldn't potentially get Housing Benefit if you don't have much in savings.
As a pp said, do an online benefit calculation. You can use the one mentioned before or google Age UK Benefits Calculator - it's easy to use.

Unfortunately, Sunak and Hunt's version of sharing the pain is to make people like you choose between heating and eating whilst they downgrade from 4 to 3 holidays per year. Some extra income from work would help, even if it is only a few hours per week. Although you will be taxed on it at least your pension is not affected. Minimum wage and pensions will both increase in the Spring so there will be a small improvement from April

With state pension, small work pension and 14k pa, what is your total income pm?

What are your total outgoings? And what do you spend on besides rent, council tax, energy bill, food and commuting costs? How much?

Without these figures it's hard to fully understand your position. Have you thought about applying for pension credit to top up your state pension, if you're eligible?