I honestly cannot afford to live

[Inkdrinker]

I work 40 hour weeks, yet I was paid 6 days ago and I'm already completely out of money. My rent is more than half of my pay, council tax is a further 250 pounds, my energy bills are ridiculous despite trying to cut down on using so much.

I have 3 kids to look after. How are people going survive this? This is by no means a ploy to ask others for money, I do not want anyone's money. I just want to know I'm not alone in this situation

My mortgage interest rate has gone from 1.9 to 4.9% fixed rate. It’s disgusting.

only today was I reading about a mum paying £500 month energy bills and in April they increase again. That is f’ing disgraceful. How does the Govt expect us to pay those kind of prices when we really have no control over them.

food prices are rocketing.

im waiting for a march I can join to protest. But we are probably not allowed to do that.

it’s all very sad.

Make sure you apply for a college bursary for travel and food. They may offer a discretionary one if you don’t quite qualify for income related.

£60?! Ours in £93, the cheapest in the area that doesn’t have a poor Ofsted rating :(

They haven’t, before anyone panics. They’ve replaced for new claims with uc. So you can get up to 85% back.

I think it’s called universal credit now.

Its shit op. I'm sitting here in the dark coz I darent turn a light on. Ds dad gives me fuck all money. As of today I have less than £5 to last until next Tuesday when I get child benefit. I spend most of my time cold and crying life is so shit and it's not going to get better anytime soon.

Please switch at least one light on - they cost hardly anything to run.

I live in a band D tiny terrace house and pay £250+ (Although not Feb and March) -
depends what part of the country you are in

Have you done a benefit check up. With three kids and rent you’d need to be earning a fair whack not to qualify?

Until we have a government who will make employers pay an actual living wage to worker's this situation will continue to get worse . Our government allow their rich buddies to pay a tiny wage therefore the rich get richer. The taxpayers pay a top up as universal credit. Thus the poor are topping up their poor wage themselves from the public purse and will endlessly be poorer for it. Its a rich man's world

We need a change of government

I'm so sorry - for you and for everyone who is struggling. I haven't read the whole thread, but if no one has mentioned contacting CAP (Christians Against Poverty) it's really great. You don't have to go to church or be a Christian to be helped by it.

why is 1 child costing you over £1k a month

Upsetting walking around Lidl yesterday. More than a few people seemed panicky and anxious. Just horrible.

my shop was £90 which is just so expensive for Lidl. I remember a few years ago I could get whatever I wanted because the prices were so good. Now I stop and think.

this country is in a terrible spot.

I’m so very sorry to hear of you all, having such a crap time, life is very unfair, I’m very sorry I can’t help any of you personally.
Are paid online surveys good to do?
wishing you all strength, and the right help, whatever that is, or how it comes

I often feel close to tears, my council tax (single person in a Band A home) will be £120 a month come April, my gas and electricity are costing me over double and I have the heating on for less than half the amount of time I used to and I was careful then! Water is apparently due to increase by a large amount, I put food back all the time, just one example is a a pack of fresh tomatoes up from 70p to 85p in a week! I retired almost two years ago and have gone from managing ok and having the occasional treat to really struggling, Hard to see what the point of anything is and cannot imagine it ever getting any better in what is left of my life. Just longing for some good news about something, it all feels unrelentingly grim. I really feel for parents, I donate baby stuff to my local food bank but will have to stop that soon as money is so tight.

I’m so sorry. There must be someone who can help. Do you get benefits etc? 💐

The reason, I am surmising, that university students cost so much (we had this too) is that the loan is means tested on parental income. Even if you are earning a reasonable sum, the amount needed to give your child a reasonable life at university can be immense. With the cost of everything going mad, what seemed like an ok income for, say two parents and two school aged kids, suddenly goes mad when they get to university.
What do you do? Not pay anything so they can't manage - even with a part time job?
Our son had a part time job, we are on a pretty low income really, but we still had to fork out a fair whack just to make sure he could do it.

Just in case you didnt know.

You can get a prepayment certificate lasting 3 months.

So if you need more than 3 prescriptions in 3 months it pays for itself.

£500 pm energy bills here also.

Uni maintenance loans are based on household income but the maximum a family is ‘expected’ to top up is just over £5k a year and many students can manage receiving less than that, especially if they work PT. No student should need £1k pm from family, something has gone wrong there.

Part of the problem is the housing market in this country.

There needs to be good quality affordable social housing available.

Not only will it be affordable but will help peoples mental health so much knowing that they have a reliable roof over their head.

Im always amazed when people offer this advice....moving can cost hundreds of pounds...thousands if you are buying and selling.....not to mention moving schools....jobs etc🙄.

I totally understand your despair. I am 68 and worried sick about money, this is not what I expected in old age. I have state pension and a small private pension. I can't get any benefits because these pensions take me over the threshold, which is ludicrous because they're tiny. I can't see how I am going to manage when EVERYTHING goes up again in April.

Can you maybe use a pantry service that's near you? You pay a fiver or so and get the food they have. I mean beggars can't be choosers but it's better than nothing.
My big concern is the rise in fuel costs and I worry about getting hypothermia. Bu I sometimes think now that would be a good way of going. At least I wouldn't have to face this god awful despair day in and day out. I have never seen this country in such an appalling state, no one seems to give a damn.

@JadeSeahorse respect to you for not doing the 'hard, you don't know what hard is' my MIL trots out despite having not worked since she got married and still being in receipt of a full pension. She's a nice woman but completely deluded about the financial reality for most families now. Thank you for your honesty and realism.

@Lifeomars I'm sorry you are struggling. I will put some baby things into the food bank on your behalf.

OP, it sounds really hard for you. Please see if the council tax debt can be better managed. There are lots of debt advice charities who may be able to negotiate an easier payment plan.