'My mortgage has already more than doubled - I'm considering selling'
A disabled single mum is considering selling her property and moving into a motorhome following today's "financial bomb" inflation hike.
Abigail Tunstall's deal has already increased several times - by 55 per cent to £560 - and today came news it'll rise further as Bank of England has hiked interest rates to five per cent.
The former NHS nurse was able to afford the £360-a-month mortgage after moving away from a fixed-rate deal in 2018 on her three-bed home in Truro, Cornwall.
"My financial life has imploded," Abigail, aged 49, said today.
"People have been clinging on by their fingertips but people will start losing their homes the way things are going."
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Abigail Tunstall, a mother of two, says her financial life has imploded (Abigail Tunstall / SWNS)With the added variable rate from her mortgage company Barclays, the mum of two reckons her outgoing will be nearer six per cent - but she is yet to find out precisely what her new monthly bill will be.
Abigail, of Truro, has several physical disabilities and has been unable to work full-time since 2013.
She receives benefits for her disability which she uses to support her youngest son, who is also disabled.
The mum is thinking about moving into a second-hand motorhome.
She added: "Food is through the roof, and everything else is going up in price.
"There's a queue for social housing as long as your arm here, so there's nowhere else to go.
"It's terrifying, I'm not using food banks yet but it's getting there.
"The second half of the month is impossible because there's literally no money left.
"I have been looking at RVs now because I can't see any other options aside from becoming homeless."
The single mum will have to fork out more each month to pay her mortgage (Abigail Tunstall / SWNS)Years ago Abigail was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
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She also suffers with fibromyalgia, long Covid, myalgic encephalomyelitis, a form of chronic fatigue, along with multiple inherited spinal disabilities.
She worked for the NHS until 2012, when she took redundancy after noticing her conditions were causing her too much 'brain fog' to continue.
Then she began teaching singing lessons from home before eventually stopping working altogether to become her disabled son's carer.
She is the sole supporter of her sons, and foots the mortgage payments on their house alone.
Since around 2016, she has relied solely on PIP and ESA from the government, as well as some child tax credit.
But with the costs of food and utilities continuing to shoot up, coupled with the continuing rising mortgage payments, she's struggling to keep things going.
Over winter they often went without heat because of high utility bills - and saw the temperature in their home drop to just NINE degrees.
But despite the warm weather, they're still struggling now.
People walk near the Bank of England as it raised interest rates again (PA)Abigail said: "With the mortgage where it currently is, we're already struggling. Any rise is all the food money gone, literally.
"And the practicality is, there's nowhere to go."
She explained that both she and her son are disabled and have specific needs such as a stairlift.
This means moving elsewhere isn't an option because there isn't anywhere in their area suitable available.
An added pressure is that her son's disability dictates he needs to do schooling from home.
This means they need to shell out on top-standard WiFi so he can do his online classes - as well as ensuring he has an appropriate study space.
She said: "My mortgage isn't even that big because I've paid loads of it off, but even for me a £200 rise is devastating.
"We get a tiny bit of assistance as a disabled family - but £150 doesn't even touch the side. It doesn't even cover the electricity bills.
"My mobility scooter is broken, and I can't afford to get it fixed either.
"All joking aside, I've been looking at RVs because it's the only option besides going homeless.
"At least that way, you have a roof and walls and power."
She added: "There are people out there in worse situations than me too - such as paying for childcare.
"There just isn't enough money to go round and it feels like today is the tipping point.
"It's incredibly stressful, which doesn't help your health when you're already disabled.
"But I'll just have to battle until I can't battle any more to give my son the security to finish his GCSE's.
"Something has to be done because nobody can afford what's going on.
"At some point someone has to stand up and admit this country has gone to s***."
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