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.

Are you definitely sure your not entitled to any UC at all OP? Speak to citizens advice bureau they can do a benefit calculation for you.

I was talking to someone today who has just got a job teaching English foundation from home. So that is to 16-18 year old who didn't manage a gcse pass. I wish I could remember the company name.

The good news is that you have a skill, that can be used in lots of ways. Home tutoring may be another option.

You should be getting the £500 winter fuel payment soon as a senior and
I hope you are getting the £66 per month onto your account or into the bank?

Surely you should be entitled to council tax and housing benefit? Have you appiled for council tax benefit it's separate to uc.

I think the state and work pension are the £14k per annum.

@Diamondsareforever123 , check with your landlord / HA. Many offer financial advice to tenants and can help you navigate what benefits you might be entitled to. My HA is running a scheme to help tenants who are in difficulty with financial grants. Local councils can also help with discretionary payments to residents.

OP are you not entitled to any housing benefit? There are benefits calculators online that can give you an idea of what you could be entitled to

That would bring in around £1,128 pm according to income calculator.

My mother-in-law started private tutoring (English) in her 70s, and it was decent money.

Sorry you are struggling - hope some of the 'pensioners are all bathing in pound notes' MN'ers are reading this post.

Have you sat and written your income vs expense?
£14k is around £1100 a month

The average energy use in April is estimated as £250 a month
Council tax around £100 a month
Water maybe £50
TV license £12
Internet £20ish
Phone £20ish?
=£452

Would leave £648 for food and entertainment.

Do you have debts? Are you running a car? What other outgoings do you have / could you get rid of?

I second the idea of invigilating, my mum does it and they are always looking for people although it's mainly in June / July .
As an ex teacher they would be thrilled to have you and you can pick your shifts.

You haven't included her rent. Even if cheap, that does leave a tiny amount for food.

You need to claim pension credit not UC.

@Ratched op you should be getting housing benefit with those figures, which would reduce the rent of a one bed flat to minimal rates.

I agree - I expect you to be able to get housing benefit.

OP I’m 66 and retired a few months ago. I get full state pension of £185.15 a week so I’m not eligible for Pension Credit, but I will have a small work pension to come when I can face tackling the application form. I had been working 18 hours a week in a supermarket and earning about £700 a month, but with Working Tax Credits, so I have less coming in now.

I live alone in a 3 bedroom house, I have a dog and two cats, I run a car, and am paying off a £4000 credit card debt which I’ll clear when I get my work pension. I save £50 a month. I never go overdrawn, there’s a spare credit card in the event of a major emergency bill eg for the car or the boiler.

It’s doable - I own the house so there’s no rent or mortgage, but I’m getting by on half your income. Please don’t worry, there is some help for every household with energy bills, you should get the Winter Fuel Payment which has been bumped up this year. Try to look at where you can economise (turn the heating down? Slow cooker instead of oven? Don’t waste any food! Swap to cheaper brands? No unnecessary buying eg clothes or “stuff”?)

Fleece throws are from £5 in Asda. Warm socks and slippers are lovely and don’t need to be expensive. Fill a flask when you boil the kettle and make hot drinks with it through the day.

If you do decide to take on a job, I actually loved working a few evenings on checkouts and the supermarket had very flexible hours, employed lots of part-time staff over state pension age, and you get staff discount after three months too!

If the many 'rich' pensioners didn't receive the non means tested benefits they don't need, there'd be more in the pot for those like the OP.
They (rightly) stopped my child benefit soon enough when that changed.
Something wrong with the system somewhere.

I cant see from your post how you are getting by on half what the op has? you have much more money coming in and have no mortgage or rent to pay, or have I misread?

Sounds so hard op. I teach EFL at a uni and we have several teachers in their seventies, pt and ft. Age isn't a barrier to getting work but obviously not many places are recruiting at the moment.

You can also work ft on the summer pressessional at universties if you are well qualified. This is well paid and 8-12 weeks of work. It doesn't help at this time of year, but maybe an option for next year?

She says her rent comes out of the 14k, so this is great news! Hopefully she can go on to claim this - would be a great help.
Thanks @daffodilandtulip 😁

Could you dog sit? Or walk dogs? I have an old man local who I pay £40 a week for 2 very long dog walks

it’s cash and he does it for another family so likely pays his food bills

If the many 'rich' pensioners didn't receive the non means tested benefits they don't need, there'd be more in the pot for those like the OP.

And I wonder how many people like OP would be put off by claiming at all if pensions were means tested.

Still waiting to read a more definite description of 'rich' than 'they've got more than I think they should have, freeloading bastards.'

I'm 67 and get less than full state pension (as a result of being opted out of state pension contributions at some time). I get two small private pensions so my income is £907 per month. Luckily my mortgage is paid off but it is a very small amount to live on. The only extra benefit I get is council tax reduction lowering my monthly council tax by about 3/4 which really helps.
This year we are getting £500 winter fuel allowance (normally £200) and we have been told next year will be £300. The state pension is going to be increased by 10.1% from April. The only other bonus is that state pension is paid 4 weekly rather than by calendar month so 1 month (for me it's September) we get 2 payments - That for me covers my insurances and Christmas.

I try and save a few quid each month to cover anything extra I need for the car. I manage by tightly controlling my spending. Everything is DD or paid on credit card which is paid off every month. I know how much I can cover putting on the card and at the beginning of each month I know my exact outgoings for that month as it is all the card.

I have devised a simple spreadsheet and every single penny is logged. I am finding the technology of banking apps excellent for making sure I know where every penny is and is allocated. It really is a very simple single sheet and I'd be happy to send it to anyone who thinks they may find it useful.

Look into exam invigilation at a local school - they can't find people for love or money this year and it is straightforward reasonable seasonal work.

On 14k a year total pension income you should be entitled to housing benefit!? That's not even min wage annual salary