I’ve been out of work since May and will be getting my first Universal Credit payment next week. I’m really lucky to have maintenance making up the shortfall in rent (LHA only covers 50% of the rent here), but I’m wondering how on earth anyone manages long term?
Obviously I’m hoping to be back in work by Christmas time but if not I can’t see how there’ll be any sort of Christmas as there just isn’t any money for ‘extras’. Luckily DSs father is a higher rate tax payer with a good job in London, so he won’t miss out but if I’m not in work I don’t see how I can justify spending anything on Christmas this year.
How do people do it? Do you routinely skip meals - I’ve already stopped buying any luxuries for myself like meat or snacks. And I wouldn’t say we have high outgoings (aside from rent). I don’t drink or smoke. I never go out because of DS. I don’t have debt repayments. I pay for Now Tv and Netflix but don’t have SKY. I have a very expensive fibre broadband contract which I needed for my last role (home working), and am in a minimum contractual term. I have a car which I own outright. We live quite rurally so I drive DS 3 miles to school each day; total mileage about 80 miles a week including trips to the job centre which is an hours round trip and fortnightly visit to my grandmother who lives around 45 minutes away.
It’s looking bleak and I can’t see how anyone does it really without going without anything for themselves.