Dad on Universal Credit can't afford to switch heating on as bills rise

23.04.2022 - 18:03 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A dad states that rising fuel bills has made it difficult and and expensive to heat the house.

Mohammed Ali, 41, said that budgeting for food and other bills was not easy while claiming Universal Credit.

Mr Ali, from Huddersfield, has worked in takeaways in the past and states that he had more money when employed full-time, Yorkshire Live reports.

The married dad-of-four said that he believes everyone in the United Kingdom is facing the problem of rising prices, particularly gas, electricity and food due to the cost of living crisis.

He said that some people simply could not afford to pay their energy bills.

He said his own family was 'managing' while he searches for employment opportunities. He has previously worked as a forklift truck driver and as a pizza takeaway worker, but for the last two years has been on benefits due to having no work.

"Shopping is very hard now," he says. "Sometimes we can't turn the heating on. Everything (bills) is high."

Mr Ali has noticed the rising price of supermarket cooking oil and of taxi fares.

Despite these issues, he says he loves living in Huddersfield. He's originally from Iraq, but is now a British citizen having lived here for many years.

"I have lived in Huddersfield for 17 years. Wages were very good. Now we can't manage. It's okay but the money I get is for my kids and my wife and for rent.

"We have no holidays. The last time was 2015 when we went to Sweden and Holland as a family."

Mr Ali says that, after the rent has been paid, the family doesn't have a lot of money left over to pay for other things. One of the main problems of being unemployed is finding something to do, he says.

"It's not horrible (being on Universal Credit). People need something to do. I keep looking (for work)