The Winter of Discontent #3 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing, cost of living etc

[definitelydifferentbecca]

Whilst being strict on benefit fraud and cash in hard work is important I think the bigger tax black hole is with the super rich. Those who keep their businesses in off shore companies and pay zero tax, some of them are the ones in government. They’ll try to focus your attention on you neighbour getting paid cash in hand to avoid you looking at their tax policies that allow for such schemes to exist.

 

[jackolantern]

Our heating is honestly on atleast 75% of the year because we live in an old, mouldy, damp farmhouse with no insulation in the Cumbrian wilds. We are absolutely fucked with the way oil prices are going. Genuinely won’t be able to buy it and we’ve just had a baby who’s currently in special care so it isn’t just us to worry about anymore. We’ve had periods of no heating before when boiler was broke etc and it was hell on Earth. Honestly even with it on it’s still bloody freezing. We have a thermometer and most of the time the house doesn’t even reach the minimum rate for health. Nevermind how the price of everything else is rising. People literally are getting to the point where despite working they can’t even afford heating or food. What the fuck is going on.

 

[Fauxphiehinchcliffe]

I couldn’t quote the last person because the thread closed….but to the person who questioned why we are having another child when we are maxed out financially…

we didn’t plan to have subsidence in our driveway and garden …it wasn’t covered by our insurance as our house wasn’t affected. But in order to gets new insurance policy when that lapsed we needed to repair the damage (thousands!!!) and fork out for various structural engineer and surveyor reports to prove the cause (neighbouring trees on unadopted land) was rectified. This unexpectedly cost thousands and thousands and thousands.We had toborrow money from a range of different places to try and fund it all.

Without doing this, we had no home insurance …which is not an option when you have a mortgage. We just had to do it! Nobody could have predicted the subsidence happening and the damage….and even when it had happened I had no idea how many different costs there would be.

since having our first 3.5 years ago we have never been able to save more than 1000 at a time before something happens and uses that buffer up. Childcare is like another mortgage payment. we were then hit by an unexpected car bill, and fridge and washing machine breaking down. You can plan for one rainy day but not all of us can plan for a years worth of rain in one month.

we are sensible hard working adults. Both working since age 18, now in our 30s. I saved hard and bought my house at 22 on my own before meeting my husband. We aren’t reckless. Life isn’t predictable.

 

[Piff paff puff]

I think there'll be an increase in suicide. To some it'll be more trouble to be alive and struggle on than to just end everything.

 

[BillyBearHam]

If you wanna complain about anyone cheating the system, look at your local MPs claiming expenses on absolutely everything along with their 84k a year salary. I find it hard to begrudge someone "fiddling" when they earn minimum wage and trying to get by without getting in to debt when we have MPs on 84k a year + expenses and most of them have 2nd jobs.

They are doing a great job with the media spin getting us to turn on each other rather than turning on them.

 

[HammyMcHamFace]

I have just cancelled my delivery saver with Tesco, just went to do a shop with them & I just cant afford it, not even half of the things I needed had already came to £65. Prices are creeping up and your getting less for more money. I don’t drive (as couldnt afford too, defo no chance now), asked my mum to take me to Lidl in the week & hopefully I can get a bit more for my money in there. My electric is fixed till September this year but my gas is on variable with edf as my gas company went bust.
Im a student, not entitled to any help. I apply for work every day and never hear back. I am doing volunteering on the side to help with uni and future job prospects, I am really worried about what is to come over the next months and I am really worried about those less fortunate than myself, the elderly, people who are on UC that will get sanctioned if they cant find a job…

i mean, what kind of dystopian future are we heading towards when people cant afford to eat, or heat up their homes & people at the top make it worse. I worry about the future and my kids futures. Working just to survive.

 

[rainbowlemon]

I personally don't think you had to explain yourself.

 

[chapterthree]

Is anyone just angry about all this? Prices spiralling yet wages not? I feel so done over by society at the moment. All I want is to not worry about my housing, heating and eating… BASIC things. I don’t eat fancy or want to live in a mansion, just a simple home and not to need to scrimp every penny at the moment. Meanwhile MP pay increases again?! By 15k in 12 years. I just feel angry. Sick, tired and angry.

 

[Sally1993]

These are such worrying times. I feel sick with worry about prices getting higher than they already are.

After all our bills are paid, we currently have to put our groceries and petrol on credit cards, with no intention of paying it back for a year or so. It’s a complete shambles. We both work and are trying to raise a family. Nursery cost us £700 this month, and prices for that are rising from April.

I was working one day a week from home but my boss has cancelled that and now it’s even more petrol money needed.

I don’t know how we’re going to get through this.

We don’t buy clothing, we don’t eat out, we can’t save money. Any extra spending or unexpected costs just get put on the credit card. It’s so scary.

I hope the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t too far away.

PS. Anyone got any ideas for cheaper meals? What can I buy in the supermarket to get a good meal for my money?

 

[Yel]

The current energy price cap is £1,277, new price cap coming in 1st April is £1'971 now talk of this being raised to £3'000 come September with the gas and oil price rises.

 

[WilmaHun]

I think a "just in case" fund is really important, and I definitely have one but the reality is, for some people it's just impossible to build that up in the first place. I genuinely feel for those people who live month to month desperately waiting for the next paycheck. I can't imagine how stressful that must be generally, let alone without the added stress of unexpected breakdowns of appliances/cars etc.

 

[masterone]

My husband is on a good wage, but after us getting in about 100k debt, and actually paying it off we are very careful with our money. We have 2 premises and employ 12 people, one shop is now closed 4 days a week and we only open on Fri to Sun. We had to let go of 3 people because they wanted more hours not less, we simply just couldn't afford to keep them on. We've increased our prices as goods are a higher price every week and this week has been so quiet. Our electricity bill has gone up to £1200 a month (was £500). I honestly don't know how small businesses will cope. There will be literally no money coming into the economy, people are buying just the bare essentials and you can't blame them.

 

[jackolantern]

One of the worst things to come from this pandemic is the term “essential workers”

We get it, you are better than us peasant folk because of a job you CHOSE to do and are paid for.

All jobs have value and a place in society. Yes some may be more skilled, but it doesn’t increase your worth as a human. Also, many people in these sacred jobs are fucking terrible. So a not a given that you are gods gift just because of your job role.

 

[LyraBalaqua]

Morning all.

I’m with Scottish Power and this is one of their suggested tariffs, if I don’t laugh I’ll cry.

 

[WilmaHun]

I keep seeing a post circling on FB/Tiktok saying if you fill your car up and drive away it's a £50 fine, still cheaper than paying the fuel price. Not that I'd ever do it but it's tempting if they keep increasing

 

[wideopenspace]

The heat the person not the home is going to cause so many issues of damp in properties. No doubt there will be numerous people complaining to their landlord that their property is damp but the cause will be from people not heating and ventilating it correctly.

 

[Slothgang]

Have just received our council tax bill letter. I know we need to pay for these services but it hurts to see it on paper.

Even more insulting when you can't get a doctors appointment, can't get the police to be interested in any crimes, have to swerve all over the road to avoid enormous potholes and my children aren't old enough for school.

 

[veryfondoftea]

I’m on a smart meter so have the dubious pleasure of being able to see my daily cost. On Friday and Saturday, both days were more than double what they have been for the whole of winter - up from a daily average for gas and electric combined of £4.14 per day to £8.75 on Friday and £10.19 yesterday. It’s terrifying.

 

[Yel]

It's insulting all this heat the person stuff. Wear more layers, wear slippers, use a hot water bottle, sit in a sleeping bag. As if this is news to anyone struggling!

Agree living in a damp home is a really bad for you. Been there, got the black mold and lung issues before. The mold spores can be really harmful. You hardly ever hear about a dehumidifier which while isn't cheap to run, it's a lot cheaper than heating and makes it less risky to live in a colder house in a damp country.

 

[PillowsofFluff]

Just feel like venting/having a moan. I'm so scared about the future, my partner's school is demoting him come September, from a teacher to a TA, so we will lose 8k a year in income. My employer is in serious trouble financially, we can't pay suppliers on time and I'm worried I will lose my job.
Just don't know what to do. At the moment we are entitled to no benefits, wonder if this will change with my partner's lower salary. I'm worried about providing for my daughter