As winter gets closer and it gets colder and colder (where I am at least), the worrying for winter is very real.
I am over £700 in debt with energy bills still, and haven’t had any heating for a very long time.
This was my post back in August 2022 and this was my post about no heat in December 2022, and this is still the case in October 2023.
This house is freezing cold all year as it is 2 foot thick solid stone walls, flooding in rain causing damp and mould, damp and mould due to broken soakaway at the back and from the gutter has been broken years but can’t afford to replace it nor patch it up (I have things on my wish list to patch it).
There is mould and damp from the water coming in through the windows too from the broken gutter which causes more damage as well.
Can’t afford any heat even though it gets to -3c in winter here and inside gets as low as 3c inside throughout winter and doesn’t get about around 14c even in the height of summer! It is usually around 7c-11c inside for the most of the time. The stone walls keep it cold as does the damp and mould.
Can’t do anything about the gutter without money, same as the broken soakaway, same as the flooding and the same as the broken damp proof course which would cost many thousands to fix and replace due to the damage. So I have to put up with it.
I don’t have a landlord as you may know, because I can’t afford rent anywhere so I share a house for minimal costs by paying bills and no rent. No rent = no landlord (All of this is and more in my About Me and FAQ).
Still in debt as I still get the same income of just PIP which is a little over £350 a month total income, so the energy bills will never get paid. The debt just grows.
Just because I have been a little more quiet, doesn’t mean I am better, in fact I am worse than ever.
My chronic pain and chronic fatigue are both much worse than ever, and keep getting worse every few months or so.
The cold makes it much worse too, so as we go nearer to winter, it all gets worse for that reason too, which when combined with my health generally getting worse, it is a nightmare!
I still can’t work but everything is more expensive and I have the same income so I am just struggling more than ever.
I still don’t eat much and my appetite has gone down with the lack of eating. I guess your stomach shrinks if you don’t eat much as I don’t eat much due to money.
That can of value beans or value spaghetti in a can a day, isn’t nice but I can afford that.
I don’t get much help from the government, in fact the only help I have had over Covid and the cost of living crisis, has been that £150 help from the government for being disabled and the energy rebate that everyone got. That is all I have received, even though I live on £350 a month!
So I am still struggling severely.
One nice thing is that I try to find a housesit (that isn’t far) each year to get out of the house. Even if it is just one night, it is nice to get away. I can only do this if I can get there physically and if it is free. This has really been the only thing to look forward to. Getting out of the house.
I want to try to get out as much as possible before I physically can’t anymore and am bedbound on a permanent basis. I really do. It is just hard with no car and no money, but I try as best I can.
I want to make memories to look back when I am bedbound so I can at least remember the nice times I had and at least make the most of what time I have.
If you are new to my blog and read this and think “she can get more than that”, No, I can’t. Check my About Me and FAQ for why I can’t get anymore money as I have covered this so many times in many blog posts.
This is all I can get as the DWP have confirmed over 70 times, my MP has confirmed, even parliament confirmed many times! I am stuck living like this.
(As a reminder, if you have any questions about me such as my income, they are most likely already answered in my About Me, or my FAQ. I also accept donations, but don’t ever expect anything.)
