Single mum Claire Pulfrey, 38, from Grimsby, Lincs, is already struggling to provide for her three sons Dan, 17, Theo, nine, and seven-year-old Samuel.
The former teaching assistant at a special school found her tight budget squeezed further after the disability living allowance she receives for her youngest son was cut by £400 a month. Now she faces a hike in food and fuel bills too. She says…
“The last months have been really tight. Before I was able to get treats for my boys, or if they needed clothes, but now I’ve got to really budget to make the money last the whole month.
“Last week I got a letter from school saying pupils could come dressed up as rock stars for a non-uniform day. It was really difficult. I had to rebudget so my two youngest wouldn’t miss out. In the end it came to £20.
“We’re really struggling, but we just about get by. When the disability allowance comes in I go out and do a big Iceland shop, because I can get big frozen packs that will last a week or two.
“Then I get the bare minimum from Morrisons during the week, like fresh stuff or things for my middle son’s packed lunch.
“But at the moment I can’t really treat any of them, even if they want a bar of chocolate, it’s only every so often if I have a bit left over. I’m really on the edge.
“I’m really worried about how we’re going to get by. Even if my shopping goes up by £10 a week, I can’t see where I can economise more. I’ll have to put less gas and electric on just to help feed us.
“And I’m thinking, how do I pay for birthdays, how do I pay for Christmas, how will I take them to the cinema? We like to go to Cleethorpes, where we can have fun on the beach without spending money, but I won’t even have the bus fare to get there.
“I’ve started to notice prices going up. It’s scary hearing people talking about how much bills are going to rise. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
