Is the cost of living crisis impacting your health?

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  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @SharonRuth

    I was concerned to read that you had your gas cut off. I wanted to let you know that Scope has their own Disability Energy Support Services. I would encourage you to reach out and see what can be done to help support you with winter coming. 
  • Maurice123
    Maurice123 Online Community Member Posts: 111 Empowering
    I would be interested to know what people are spending on food, or can afford to spend on food.
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Which have been compiling monthly data on food shops to determine which is the best supermarket. I found that interesting to read. 
  • SharonRuth
    SharonRuth Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Hey there Hannah 
    It was my choice to have the gas cut off because to be honest I never used the heating because it suffocated me with the dry heat and there were always cold areas anyway. I’ve never had heat in my bedroom as I’m a cold room sleeper. I was fed up of paying all of the standing charges even if you didn’t use he gas and the actual rental of the gas meter. If I’m cold I put on another layer of clothes or blanket. For sleeping purposes I have 5 cats who keep me warm in the coldest of nights. I do use in winter a small fan heater for after having a shower. Handy hint - use a hairdryer to warm yourself up after a bath or shower and to take the chill off a cold bed. What I haven’t mentioned is that one of my disabilities is fibromyalgia where I’m overly sensitive to the heat anyway and even though I’m post menopause I still have hot flushes. The actual problem that I have is the cost of food etc. They have increased by up to 25% on some items. Anything that is wheat based has increased massively so bread and cat food have been the biggest of expenses. I get by, only just!! By biggest expense by far this year has been lithium batteries for my wheelchair £700 for the two batteries needed. I had to take out a social fund loan - up to £347 payable out of my benefits and borrow from the bank on a short term loan, by October that will be paid off.
     I’m just generally having a bad time of it and it’s effecting my MH issues. I’m just try to let off a little steam by putting my problems down on paper so to speak. I’m stuck in bed after having a nasty fall and giving myself whiplash to the entire spine 6 weeks ago and am on oramorph and diazepam atm and likely to be like this for another 6 weeks. Sorry for rambling on, that’s the medications
  • perectlyflawed
    perectlyflawed Online Community Member Posts: 24 Connected
    edited September 2023
    Yes. Two physically disabled adults with major mental health disorders made homeless and have been homeless for 86 weeks and counting. I did get diagnosed with malnutrition, so I guess I got that going for me. This is normal though, right? I mean everyone who is disabled and homeless following a government ombudsman decision that the council  breached relief duties gets all their disability premiums removed till their income is negative after paying for all of their possessions to be in storage and a token gesture towards the single bedroom they are stuck in illegally before even thinking about food or water. This is perfectly fine I believe. Well done humanity, pat yourself on the back.

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