Eating Before Heating...

[Baby_Sham]

I've just been listening to a phone-in on Radio 2 on 'eating before heating'.
Call me naive, but I had no idea things were *so* bad, and listening to how some people have to cope through the colder, winter months, has left me feeling both saddened and sickened.

A woman having to choose between feeding her three children, or keeping them warm... how did things get so bad and why are we in this situation? Why does the government not do something about it?

I just broke my heart listening to a lady phone in and break down in tears live on air, as she explained how she was forced to get into debt, using a payday lender to have the heating on.
More and more people are having to make a choice between 'eating or heating' and I just wondered if anyone on here has to make similar choices over the winter?

Surely change HAS to happen?

[vakayu]

Sherardk repeating what I said earlier "there but for the grace of God etc".

[Baby_Sham]

It can happen very easily, and to any one of us. As I said previously, no one can predict the future and it is actually very easy to become homeless. All it takes is one major event, and things can start to take a downward spiral.
Stuff like this, people having to make choices between heating or eating, the massive rise in people being forced to rely on food banks, that's the start of that downward spiral.

[DrFilth]

emmie bloke down the road has no computer, no tv, no phone, i think he did have an old radio. he was kicked off the sick and then hit with the £20 bedroom tax

not seen him for a while but i do not get out much these days

[Kassee]

Thats right Emmie, I think alot of people on here tonight have no idea. A mobile phone, I've always had a mobile phone, have never brought one, always have my daughter's old contract phone when she gets her new one. (Grown-up daughter) I pay £10 a month on a top up voucher and that's it. Its all I spend. Quite a good deal actually, £5 for chat, and £5 for thousands of texts for the month, and I usually text people, not chat. Anyway the downward spiral of poverty and benefits, I forgot to mention the depression, the general gloom that sets in to the whole family. It is difficult not to just give up. The heating - who cares ? Just put some more clothes on, or go to bed and read a book.

[emmie]

DF could he possibly have a lodger?

[vakayu]

Most of the replies here are simply down to people's expectations in life and what they are prepared to put up with or do without merely to survive.

[DrFilth]

emmie he has been after a flat for ages, so he could have moved but as i have already posted i do not get out much these days

i very much doubt that he would have a lodger

[ClaryS]

sherradk I know what a key meter is I have one myself for electricity. I've also put children to bed in their outdoor clothes with hats on and lived for a short while in a B&B with three children under 7 when I was left a widow at 29 years old which was the worst. This isn't however a competition to see who has endured the most deprivation in the past, I've lived through it and kind of come out the other end as hopefully you have. I would love to do something pro-active, start up some classes to teach people how to stretch their money and food, but as you say food and money can only stretch so far but I have no answers I wish I did. Unfortunately there has always been poverty and always will, its a disgrace when some people can go out for the evening and spend more on a meal for two people than some people have to feed their family for a month.

[vakayu]

Dr Filth it seems a bit of a concern and if you are nor able or do not want to get involved is there anyone checking up on him,as there are some terrible stories in the news these days?

[Kassee]

Maybe he's in his flat, no food and frozen solid !!!!

[sherrardk]

If people have the money to go out and splash the cash - good for them. I don't think them having money is the issue, it's the people who aren't managing who are the worry.

[sherrardk]

(PS - we're ok now, enough for the odd treat, etc.)

[DrFilth]

10 minutes from where the tory toffs were eating this kind lady was feeding the hungry

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=k16lpj&;s=5#.UlhgmFPheR4

[DrFilth]

vakayu all i know is that he has a sister up near me in droylsden, he has no phone and i do not know his address

the only times i have seen him is when he is walking about that is all he seems to do walk

[boxtops]

Just come to this thread - I wonder how people are faring now it's colder and wetter?

It's certainly not the first time there has been a story in the local paper about mothers going without food in order that their child(ren) can eat.

I was dismayed (as was my colleague) to hear that when he came home from work last week, the heating was on full pelt throughout the house because his wife needed to dry the washing.....