‘I eat a meal every other day' : The pensioners battling rising energy prices

[pellinore]

Anyone else tired of reading this tosh about "poor" pensioners?

If you read the article, he lives with his brother (who is a black cab driver, so not short of a few bob) and he has always had a few thousand in his bank account. He pays half the heating bills (which he says is £300) so they are spending £600 a month between them with the heating only on every other day? I don't believe it. And he can't afford to eat on £1000 per month? A single person?  How does he think a family of four on £1500- 2000 p.m. manage? They also have to pay rent or mortgage, heating for 4 people , and food for 4 people.

Pensioners are the wealthiest economic group in the UK- mortgage paid, kids left home, "Boomers" so they had access to free college or university education, most have occupational pensions, and they have benefited for the 'triple lock' for years so their pensions go up with av. earnings, price inflation, or 2.5%. 

Can only afford to eat every other day- because every day he has to go to the bookies, and the offey to get his Stella and smokes.

 

The 67-year-old told i he only eats one hot meal every other day, despite battling numerous health conditions and admits: “I fear I won’t survive this winter. I’ll either come out of this winter dead or in serious debt that I can’t pay back because I just can’t afford to live.”

Bill, who reveals he has worked since the age of 14, is one of thousands of pensioners across the country forced to live frugally and go without the bare essentials as escalating energy bills and rising costs of food and other essentials are swallowing up their hard earned pensions.

Bill lives with his brother John, 68, who is still working as a black cab driver to pay the bills. But Bill was forced to give up his work as an HGV driver as doctors wouldn’t renew his licence due to his medical conditions.

‘I eat a meal every other day – this winter may be my last’: The pensioners battling rising energy prices (msn.com)

Edited January 29 by pellinore

[Susanc241]

He used to have a few thousand in his bank account but is now down to £300. He eats every day but only a hot meal every other day.  Please get the facts right.  Whether he wastes any money on things like gambling, cigarettes or beer is not mentioned once from what I could see, so it is not fair to make these assumptions.  Be kind.