A loving gran has told how she goes to bed to beat the cold because of her rocketing heating bills.
Early nights are now a way of life for Deborah Carlsson and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Aaliyah Sagan.
They turn in early for a very simple reason: it costs less to power the electric blankets on their beds, bought as a gift by her son, than to fire up the gas central heating.
Like millions across the country, Deborah, 61, sometimes has to decide whether to ‘eat or heat.
She lives in Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, a ward in the top 1% in England in terms of deprivation.
Deborah found herself looking after her granddaughter due to a series of family tragedies. She lost her mum Margaret, 72, dad Ajell, 82, and 37-year-old daughter Nikki in quick succession, leaving her with depression.
But her Personal Independence Payment of £380 a month were axed suddenly after a phone interview.
Deborah said: “Losing my daughter three years ago devastated me and it’s been hard to keep going at times.
“The youngest of her children came to live with me and I love her so much, but we struggle to get by. After my PIP payments were stopped, we were left with £256 per fortnight – it is hard to pay all the bills.
“I spend £40 a month in the freezer shop and another £25 at Aldi, but fuel is our biggest cost. I have a card for the meter and try to put on £20 gas per week and £20 electricity per fortnight.
‘I absolutely dread the price of fuel rising again. We are barely managing as it is and there are times I’ll go without a meal so we can keep warm.”
Deborah’s energy bill rises to £150-a-month in winter as she pays £80-a-month on her meter card, then has to do £10 ‘top-ups’ on a regular basis.
“It’s cheaper to go to bed and stay warm than it is to use the gas to heat the house,” she says.
She now volunteers at the Genesis Project, a food and clothing bank at St Oswald’s Church, which she first visited when she needed food.
In the week leading up to Christmas 250 people came for help.
Deborah said: “This place restored my faith in human kindness. If it wasn’t here I dread to think what would have become of me.”
