I’m in my 40s and have two children, both of whom are autistic. Five days a week, I volunteer at a local food bank. I’ve also been a food bank user. We live on universal credit, so I understand the pressures people who visit are under.
I’ve always managed, I’ve never felt poor, but it’s getting harder. When I opened my energy bill, I thought it was a mistake. It has gone from £66 to £95, and they expect it to go up to about £150. I can’t afford to visit my child at university; I can’t remember the last time I went out recreationally. This week, I had to spend more than usual on my bus pass so I could go and get my eyes checked, so now it means mostly eating food with reduced stickers on it. My washing machine is on its last legs, and I keep thinking “please don’t break”, because there isn’t money there to replace it. I’m frugal and I know how to make things stretch, but there’s only so far you can go.
