Sarah’s Battle

Sarah is a 34-year-old single woman who lives alone in a small, rented flat. She has mild learning difficulties, which affect her ability to manage her finances and navigate complex systems.

Sarah receives Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), both of which provide her with a modest income. On paper, she qualifies for all the benefits she’s entitled to. Yet, the rising cost of living has left her struggling to keep her head above water.

The Daily Battle

Sarah carefully plans her budget. Her income is eaten up by essentials: rent, council tax, and utility bills. She uses a prepayment meter for her gas and electric. The cost of topping up the meter has skyrocketed. With the recent cold weather, Sarah has been forced to choose between heating her flat and buying enough food to eat.

Sarah relies on a nearby food bank once a month, but she finds the process overwhelming. From getting a voucher issued, the queues, and asking for help makes her anxious. Even with the food parcels, the meals she can make are limited. She struggles with cooking from scratch and often resorts to processed food, which is more expensive but easier for her to prepare.

Overlooked Struggles

Sarah’s learning difficulties mean she finds it hard to understand energy tariffs and budgeting apps. She has asked for help from her energy provider, but the advice feels confusing and impersonal. Despite being on the Priority Services Register, she feels like just another number.

Her local council recently provided a small grant to help with winter fuel costs, but the amount barely made a dent in her monthly expenses. She’s fallen into a cycle of debt on her prepayment meter, which now takes a portion of every top-up to repay the outstanding balance.

Seeking Support

We recently stepped in to support Sarah. A volunteer Adviser helped her apply for a Warm Home Discount and liaised with her energy provider to explore debt relief options. They also referred her to a group who could help her with budgeting and who can also teach her how to stretch her money further.

While the assistance has been helpful, Sarah knows the real issue isn’t her ability to budget, it’s the inadequacy of her income against the rising cost of living.

"I’m doing everything I can," she says, her voice breaking. "But it feels like the system is set up to make people like me fail."

The Bigger Picture

Sarah’s story highlights the struggles of many individuals who, despite receiving the correct benefits, are still unable to make ends meet. It underscores the importance of addressing systemic issues, such as the affordability of energy, accessible support for those with additional needs, and ensuring that benefits keep pace with inflation.

For Sarah, small victories, like a warm meal or a topped-up meter are significant. But she dreams of a day when she won’t have to fight so hard just to survive.