A retired nurse struggling to get by on Universal Credit says she has been eating “gone-off” food because of the cost of living crisis. Bonnie Noel, 65, gets Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment as she cannot work due to a previous injury.
She said the impact of soaring bills has been “just hellish” and left her struggling to manage, to the extent that she is forcing herself to drink curdled milk. She also explained how she eats food two weeks out out date and there had been “so far, no food poisoning”.
Ms Noel, who lives in a council bungalow in Surrey, said: “The worst started when the £20-a-week uplift was no longer afforded to people on benefits. Now I drink curdled milk or have it as yoghurt, for the protein.
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“I buy food that is on special offer. I eat food up to two weeks after the use by date if it doesn’t smell or look off. I cook it on a high temperature in the microwave and if it tastes okay, I eat it. So far, no food poisoning.
“I eat one meal containing protein a day. The rest is potatoes with tomatoes, bananas and the cheapest fruit and veg on sale.
“I am fortunate in a way as I know there are people far worse off than me. I live on what the Government gives me and I am grateful for it.”
Ms Noel said she is not naturally a “thrifty person” but that she has been forced into that way of life as the cost of groceries, energy and other bills has risen. She now says she only showers once a week and cuts her own hair to help save money.
Other ways she saves money include not running the washing machine for a full cycle. Instead she presses pause when running a cold wash and lets her clothes soak instead.
“It works!” she added. Ms Noel’s constant companion is her dog, a blind collie called Luca who she rescued from a farm in her native Ireland.
“My dog doesn’t go without, and he still has his treats,” she said. She has also had to cut back on washing dishes to bring her bills under control.
“I wash my dishes in one go usually every five to seven days, just as well it’s not warm outside due to flies and rodents. I collect my used tissues to wipe cutlery and plates clean before washing.”
She said her local Citizens Advice Bureau refused to refer her to a food bank, saying she should be able to get by on the benefits she receives. The former nurse gets around £850 a month in combined Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments.
