A devout grandmother has shared the reason why she goes to bed early every night with her 12-year-old granddaughter Aaliyah Sagan.
Deborah Carlsson revealed early nights are now a way of life because 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.
The 61-year-old faces a similar dilemma to millions of other people across the UK, deciding whether or not to ‘eat or heat’.
Deborah found herself looking after her granddaughter due to a series of family tragedies.
She lost her mum and dad and 37-year-old daughter Nikki in quick succession, leaving her with depression.
However, Deborah, who lives in Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, had her Personal Independence Payment of £380 a month axed suddenly after a phone interview.
According to Teesside Live Grove Hill is a ward in the top 1per cent in England in terms of deprivation.
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 week 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.”
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