Woman says she's only got £40 to last 12 days as cost of living payments end
A woman who suffered a double aneurysm and is unable to work is worried for her future as cost of living payments are set to end in a few days.
Alison, whose partner died a year after she fell ill, says she doesn't "know what will happen" and her situation is "putting more and more stress" on her. To date she has been receiving quarterly payments from the Government which allowed her to buy essentials such as food, clothes and heating - but the payments are set to end in a few days.
February 22 marks the end of any direct support payments being issued by the government after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed there are currently no plans to continue the scheme. For many across the country, this could spell dire news where the payment provided a much-needed lifeline during the current crisis.
Before she fell ill, Alison - whose name has been changed for privacy reasons - took charge of her own cleaning business but she now has to rely on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP). While she previously received the additional limited capability for work (LCW) element of Universal Credit, which meant she could afford all basic necessities without diving into the red, a reassessment last year deemed she was fit to work. Because of this, her income was reduced by a staggering £400.
Alison told the Manchester Evening News: "Since my limited capability for work element was taken away, I'm getting £400 a month less, roughly. Now I'm living on a shoestring. I don't buy clothes, I have not got the money. I've only got £40 to last me for the next 12 days. As soon as you get any money in the bank, you go food shopping and it's gone. It goes so quick. I have to shop very carefully and I don't go out."
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Shortly before suffering a double aneurysm, Alison lived with and received support from her partner, but her partner died a year after her illness struck. She added: “When my other half was alive we would go out and didn’t have to worry about money for things like food or a takeaway. I used to go out for the occasional treat, a coffee and a slice of cake, but there's no way I could do something like that now.
A woman suffered a double aneurysm leaving her unable to work before her partner died (MEN MEDIA)“Everything I have goes on essentials. You go food shopping and pay your bills and your money goes so quickly, it’s frightening, I've got nothing in the bank. Being in a negative budget has forced me to ask my friend to lend me £1,000 which I’m paying back religiously at £50 a month.
"We’ve always helped each other out money-wise but I shouldn’t have to ask. I've been forced to because I haven’t got the money myself, just to live. Without that I’d be totally stuffed. If this carries on I don’t know what will happen. It’s putting more and more stress on me.”
Alison also received energy and clothing vouchers which she got with the help of Citizens Advice. She added: “I've currently just got £40 to last me for the next 12 days. My LCW claim is going to tribunal, I’m hoping I’ll hear back this year, but it could be months and it’s such a worry.
“I check my post every morning but there's no news yet. It's a massive worry and something I really shouldn't be having to deal with. I try not to think about it too much otherwise it just gets you down, it feels like a downward spiral.”
Since June 2023, millions of people claiming income-based benefits and tax credits have been eligible for a total of £900 which was issued in three instalments. When the first round of cost of living payments were announced back in 2022, many pointed out that it only provided a short term of relief for people who are desperate.
The woman had to borrow £1,000 from a friend just to be able to afford basic necessities (MEN MEDIA)Morgan Wild, interim director of policy at Citizens Advice, said: “Increasingly, people coming to Citizens Advice are living on empty, unable to afford their essential costs and finding themselves in desperate situations. Our data shows that the cost-of-living payments do offer some respite to people, but this is short lived.
“Historically high energy bills, unaffordable housing and other spiralling costs are keeping people in crisis. The government has responded with temporary support but we need more than quick fixes. Long-term commitments are needed to raise people’s incomes and standard of living.”
Five million people in the UK are running on a negative budget (where a household has more money going out than in), according to new research from Citizens Advice. It found the number of people in the red soared from 3.25 million, to five million, including 1.5 millions children, since the start of 2020 - a 50 per cent increase in just four years.
A government spokesperson said: “There are 1.7 million fewer people living in absolute poverty compared to 2010, including 400,000 children, but we know people continue to struggle so we are providing record cost of living support worth an average £3,700 per household and are raising benefits this April. All Disability Assessors are qualified health professionals. Support is in place for vulnerable customers at every stage of the claim process."
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