When Paulette Flash has to ask her 90-year-old mother if she can borrow some money, she is filled with embarrassment at having to do so at her age.
But the 61-year-old feels she has no choice when she cannot afford to pay for food or her bills – and she is terrified of landing in debt again, which once culminated in bailiffs waiting outside her door.
Paulette, who lives in south-east London, worked for most of her life in childcare until she was made redundant and then began suffering from health issues, including arthritis, which left her unable to work.
The mum-of-three and grandmother-of-four receives universal credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), but told The i Paper that life is still a struggle and regularly has to ask her elderly mother for money when she finds it difficult to keep on top of costs.
“I do feel embarrassed asking my 90-year-old mother if I can borrow some money,” she said. “My mum is on the state pension but she owns her own home, so she is better off than me, which is why she can afford to lend me money when I need it.
“I borrow money from my mum at times such as when I am struggling to afford the gas and electric. But I always make sure I pay her back as soon as I get my money.”
Paulette lives alone in a rented council home and, as well as the arthritis which affects her mobility, has ADHD and dyslexia. She said she struggled to claim benefits because so much was done online and she was not computer-literate.
Although she was surviving on universal credit, she still found it hard to get by and was forced to rely on food banks.
However, for the last three years, she has received £295 a month of PIP as well as £700 a month in universal credit. She said it had made her life much easier and she could at least afford to pay most of her bills.
Now, however, with the uncertainty surrounding eligibility for PIP, Paulette lives in fear of being plunged into debt again.
“Before I lived where I do now, I was in a one-bedroom place which had damp and mice and cockroaches and I was living with my three children at the time,” she said. “I lived a lot of my adult life in poverty and didn’t have enough money to make ends meet and kept having to borrow.”
Paulette reached rock bottom when she accrued more than £3,000 of debt and was in danger of losing her home because she could not afford the rent. She remembers that the situation became so bad that bailiffs were waiting outside her door until her sister managed to raise money to pay the debt.
Paulette was filled with terror and anxiety and confided in a friend, who told her about the charity Christians Against Poverty. With their help, she became debt-free and the charity made sure she claimed all the benefits to which she was entitled.
This has resulted in her income rising, reducing the constant financial constraints she has always faced. But she admits times are still hard and, without the extra monthly money from PIP, she accepts her financial difficulties would return.
Her arthritis makes it difficult for her to leave the house and, because she has to keep warm, her energy bills are higher. She says sometimes she survives on soup and coffee to keep food costs down.
“I am just getting the minimum amount for PIP which is £295 a month and I am very grateful for it because it makes a huge difference to my life,” she said.
“Before I got the PIP, I was just on universal credit and I had to live hand-to-mouth because there wasn’t enough money and everything was a struggle.
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“It was either pay rent and starve or pay a little bit of the rent and do a little bit of shopping. Now I am getting PIP, it means I can at least pay most of my bills and keep on top of them.
“But life is still very tough at times and that’s when I have to borrow from my mum, or my son gives me money. But he has three children of his own so cannot afford to give me money all the time.
“Before getting PIP, I was really suffering. I don’t want to go back to that again and I am terrified of getting into debt again.”
Kiri Adams, head of policy and public affairs at Christians Against Poverty, said: “Paulette’s story is a sobering reminder of the financial tightrope many disabled people walk.
“No one should be forced to borrow from their 90-year-old mother just to cover essentials.
“With disabled households needing an average of around £1,000 per month to achieve the same standard of living, we see daily that PIP is a vital lifeline for some of our most vulnerable clients, not a luxury.
“While the Government’s rethink on tightening eligibility rules is a relief, the concern around future cuts still looms, so we need a fairer social security system that provides genuine security.
“As the Government seeks to consult with disabled people on these changes, we want their voices to truly lead the reforms to ensure they aren’t pushed further into poverty or the crushing cycle of debt.”
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