Sheltered housing misery and fibro

[chrissyarry]

I live in sheltered housing and will be 60 this year. I got my flat at 58 as I've got fibro. The heating in our flats are run on a communal heater and are storage heaters. The housing association have just put the heating part of the rent up from £8 odd to £22 odd. Now with me being on ESA I will have to find the extra money as housing benefit dosnt cover heating in the flat. At the moment I'm on £121 odd in the support group and it will be a squeeze to pay this. The big problem here is that I was only awarded the higher rate as I'd had an op on my foot, not for the fibro. I know that any time soon I will have to go for a medical and because my foot has healed I will not pass a medical for fibro ( I've gone through 2 tribunals and lost before)

So I will be knocked down again to £71 odd. How the hell can I pay this £23 + £5 I pay a week to eon for my other lekky. £28 out of £71 don't leave me enough for the rest of my bills and to live on. I should have been retiring this year but now the government have moved the goal posts so it will be 67 now when I retire. I just can't take this. I'm depressed and can't see any light at the end.

I can't even get a reduction on my fuel bill due to the fact that it's on a communal source. I also have to pay full tv licence while other people in the flats pay £ 7 per year cus they're on pension. Sorry to go on but I don't know what to do any more.

[sophie22]

Hi, I know how you feel I am going through similar, my widows pension is low so I get support group ESA help -my pension. they subtract my pension off what I am entitled to. I got a £6 rise this year and £6 was taken off my ESA. Bills going up pension static for years and now I have to pay 20% council tax and bedroom tax £116 monthly. nothing left to live on, thankfully my family are feeding me, I would be in a right state if not, but they should not have to. The pension issue is daft I have worked all my life so in 3 years should have been getting full state pension, widows pension and my own works pension and paying tax. now the government are going to have to supplement my income for that extra time and I am going to have to live in poverty. There is no sense to it all, they seem to think that one shoe fits all, they should have checked individuals to see if they are fit to stay in work till 67yrs, not just do a blanket thing.

Getting back to your problem, you need to speak to citizen advice and Age UK and see if you can get any help from other sources, don't give up!

[fenbadger]

Ouch! Looks like you cant get costs down anymore. Have you tried switching electric and doing online billing with Direct Debit. It's a small saving but every little helps. I've no experience with communal heating but I guess there's no way you can arrange to only pay for hat you use. I'm similar age and looking to go the same way. Doesn't look hopeful but it's another worry you could do without

[chrissyarry]

Hi fenbadger Thanks for reply. I pay my eon electricity by direct debit 20 pound monthly and the heating cHarge which is going up in April I pay direct to the housing association which will be around 93 pound with the rise. I get help from a freind who helps out with food already but I've always been very I dependant and I feel awful not being able to support myself. Something needs to be done about this government as everyone seems to be sitting back and taking it

[chrissyarry]

Hi Sophi22 sorry to hear your in a similar situation. I too have a freind who gets me food. If it wasn't for him a would have to go to a food bank. Although I don't think there is one around here and would probly have to travel into Blackpool the nearest big town. But I couldn't afford the bus fare and wouldn't be able to carry it. It looks like ill end up loosing my sheltered flat. But there again I haven't the money to move to cheaper accommodation. Why should I though. I'm in here because I've got fibro. Il have to barracade myself in and protest, lol got to laugh or I'll go under. Got an appointment next week with mental health team. Can't take much more of this dimoralization

[Shazzzy in reply to chrissyarry]

Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I have a friend who volunteers for a local food bank as a driver and delivers the food to people's houses if they cannot collect it. Always worth a phone call to see if they do the same where you live.all the best

[TheAuthor]

Hi chrissyarry

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you can be today? I am so sorry to read that you are being forced into a potentially untenable situation. I have pasted below the gov.uk webpage relating to paying bills through benefits. I do not know if this will be of any use to you, but it lists several schemes that may be worth having a look at?

gov.uk/bills-benefits

I sincerely hope that you can find some resolution and relief to your issue.

Ken x