I’ll be going away for the festive season. No more having to keep up appearances of the perfect consumerist Christmas while poverty bites
- This article is part of the heat or eat diaries: a series from the frontline of Britain’s cost of living emergency
I’ve been living, like many people, in fuel poverty for many years. Blankets around my legs and hot-water bottles have become the norm during these dark winter months.
At the beginning of October, my energy provider told me that all I had to do to get the government’s energy bills support scheme was sit back and wait for the vouchers to come in the post. I still hadn’t received anything well into November. It’s practically impossible to contact my energy provider, but after many hours on hold I eventually managed to connect to an agent. I finally received my October and November vouchers earlier this month.
As told to Daniel Lavelle. James is in his 50s and lives in London. Names have been changed
The Trussell Trust is an anti-poverty charity that campaigns to end the need for food banks. Show your support at: trusselltrust.org/guardian
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