‘Sometimes we can’t turn the heating on’
DAD-OF-FOUR REVEALS STRUGGLES OF TRYING TO GET BY ON UNIVERSAL CREDIT
A DAD says rising energy bills have made it difficult and expensive to heat the house.
Mohammed Ali, 41, said budgeting for food and other bills wasn’t easy while claiming Universal Credit.
He has worked in takeaways in the past and says he had more money when employed full-time.
The married father-of-four, who has lived in Huddersfield for 17 years, said everyone in the United Kingdom was facing the problem of rising prices, particularly gas, electricity and food.
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 past 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.”
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) and asking friends for work. I have been looking for a job for two or three months.”
Friends have told him they are looking out for a job for him and he says he’s keen to start earning a wage again. “If you work, you get more money than Universal Credit.
“I got £300 a week after tax when I was working,” he added.