A WOMAN on Universal Credit has shared how she takes showers just once a week and drinks “gone off” milk because of the cost of living crisis.
Bonnie Noel, 65, says her benefit payments are not enough to live off and is having to cut back.
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She has described how she eats food past its use-by date and just one meal a day to save cash.
Speaking to The Mirror, Bonnie said: “Now I drink curdled milk or have it as yoghurt, for the protein.
“I buy food that is on special offer. I eat food up to two weeks after the use by date if it doesn’t smell or look off.
“I cook it on a high temperature in the microwave and if it tastes okay, I eat it. So far, no food poisoning.
“I eat one meal containing protein a day. The rest is potatoes with tomatoes, bananas and the cheapest fruit and veg on sale.”
The retired nurse who lives in Surrey has also had to take drastic action to cut her energy use, including showering less and turning her washing machine off mid-cycle.
She said: “I wash my dishes in one go usually every five to seven days, just as well it’s not warm outside due to flies and rodents.
“I collect my used tissues to wipe cutlery and plates clean before washing.”
She says that she asked a food bank for help but was told that her £850 a month benefit payments from Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment were enough to live on.
Bonnie is one of millions of people facing rocketing costs for essentials like energy and food.
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John Hughes, 56, told The Sun that he eats tinned food cold because he can’t afford his heating bills.
The cancer sufferer can’t afford to warm up his dinner because there’s only a few pounds left on his energy meter.
An elderly couple say they have been forced to sleep in their COATS after being left unable to afford their heating.
Gerald Porter, 83, fears he might have to go back to work to help pay the bills after they doubled in one month.
And a mum on Universal Credit says she has dropped three dress sizes because she can’t afford to buy food to eat.
Kelly Thomson, 43, explained she has been struggling to get by on just £40 a week and fears she “may have to resort to begging”.
On April 1, energy bills rose by a shocking 54 per cent, the equivalent of around £700 a year.
Council tax, National Insurance, water, broadband, phone and TV bills also became more expensive.
Millions of people getting Universal Credit and not in work, like Bonnie, lost a £20-a-week uplift to the benefit as the end of last year.
An increase to Universal Credit rates at the start of the month failed to keep up with rising costs.
Benefits increased by 3.1% from April but inflation is 7% and could be higher before the end of the year, leaving claimants worse off in real terms.
How to get help with energy bills if you’re on Universal Credit
Just because you get Universal Credit, it doesn’t mean that’ s all you can get.
Millions of Brits are missing out on benefits they’re entitled to adding up to billions of pounds in total.
Benefit calculators can help you check what you could be entitled to.
For instance you might get extra cash if you’re looking after someone else or for housing costs.
There are several benefit checker tools you can use – here’s our guide.
You could help like a council tax discount, cheaper internet or extra payments during the coldest weather – check out the full help you can get in out guide.
There’s cash help for anyone struggling with rent that’s available from your local council through the discretionary housing payment.
If you’re worried about falling behind on bills. there are plenty of organisations where you can get advice for free, including:
Energy suppliers are offering cash grants to those hardest hit by bills rises.
You could get money through this if you’re struggling and you won’t have to pay it back.
For example, British Gas and Octopus both have funds to help households who are struggling to pay.
What’s available depends on your supplier, and not all offer them while others may have closed applications due to high demand.
There are around 8,000 charities and organisations in the UK that offer cash to help struggling families.
Turn2Us has a free grants search tool so you can find out what help is available to you.
Your local council could be giving out energy bill help through a number of schemes including the Household Support Fund, welfare assistance schemes, and the council tax energy rebate discretionary fund.
To see what’s available where you are, and to apply, you’ll need to check your local council.
You can search for yours using the search tool on gov.uk – just enter your postcode.
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