Benefits -some real numbers

phoenix I can tell you're a good money manager and even then it doesn't stretch anywhere near far enough. I do hope things start to look up for you soon x

When I worked for a utility I used to do a training exercise with call centre staff who dealt with debts. Most of them had gone straight from school into fairly good admin jobs. I used to get a couple out the front, tell them how much benefit they would get for a week - give it to them in play money. They would also have a row of jam jars to allocate their budget - food, heating, etc. They always found it impossible and it gave them a new insight into the people with whom they were negotiate payment plans. Some of them said they were so upset by the exercise that they couldn't sleep.
It is easy to understand why those on benefits do bits of cash in hand work to make ends meet.
Having said that - I'm afraid people on tight budgets can't afford to eat much meat. Jack Monroe is their shopping/cooking guru. She has written very eloquently on how hard it is to cope on so little money.

Thank you for your good wishes, annsixty , they are appreciated.

No phoenix it sounds impossible and I can do no more except to send sincere sympathy and say I really hope things pick up for you and feel impotent to do more. It is one time when I feel glad we are retired and at least our income is fixed and can't go down or disappear.

Hello again all, just a bit of an update.

What I'm trying/hoping to do is to give an insight into the situation that some people find themselves in.

Today (26th March) the sum of £225.10 (being 2 weeks of income based JSA at £112.55) was paid in. This is what the Gov say we need to live on.

The previous payment was made on 7th March and was £128.63. This was all that we were entitled to based on the date of the claim. To "manage" on that amount until todays payment wasn't possible, as the insurance for the car had to be paid, so there was a "slate" at the village shop and a very kind neighbour helped out with a £15 loan for fuel to get to interviews.

When todays payment went in, there was an immediate payment of around £30 for telephone & broadband ( a necessity when job hunting) £40 at the village shop, plus the £15 to the neighbour. I had forgotten to cancel the window cleaner (mea culpa) so there was £10 to him. So far, £95 out.

Shopping in Lidl, £55 (even with the £5 off voucher, but in all fairness we did get quite a bit for that, yes, chicken thighs again! 3 trays of them, some mince, 7.5 kilos of potatoes, bargain at £2.99, some pork shoulder steaks etc. but still need to get cat food and some other veg, Lidl's only doing packs of carrots and leeks, rather than being able to just get the amount you need) £20 worth of petrol for the car.

£55.10 to last for 2 weeks, until next JSA payment on 9th April.

You might notice that this does not include any payments for council tax, utilities etc.

I feel it can't be done, but please feel free to correct me!

Wishing you luck tomorrow Phoenix. Fingers crossed for you. X

Modern solar panels use the energy from daylight, as opposed to sunlight, to produce electricity so panels do not need direct sunlight to work. It is photons in natural daylight which is converted by solar panels cells to produce electricity. Heat has no effect on the production of electricity.

This being said it is true that direct sunlight does provide the best conditions for the panels. However, even in overcast conditions light will diffuse through the clouds and reach the solar panels. Modern solar panels include concentrators which use a system of lenses and mirrors to maximise any light that does reach the cells. As a result it is estimated that solar panels will be 40% as effective in heavy cloudy as they would in direct sunlight. The clearer the skies are the more electricity will be produced.

Good luck Phoenix x

Thank you all!

It's part time, temporary and it's NIGHTS

Best wishes for Friday phoenix

I agree, very good luck for Friday phoenix wherever the job is. All fingers will be crossed.

I don't think I mentioned solar hot water panels. The electricity produced heated the water using the immersion in the tank. And last summer our other neighbours sold back quite a lot of their electricity produced, but of course they installed them at the beginning of the scheme.

Anyway , going off the point here. Good luck and fingers and toes crossed for Friday, phoenix.

I have solar panels but they are not PV, they are for hot water only. I paid about 25% if that, 5 years ago because my local council was running a scheme and paying the bulk of the cost although my house is owned by me. My house does face south and they have been a great help re lower electricity bills.

The "free" ones are paid for by a private firm who then get the "feed in tariff". All the roof owner will get is some free electricity on sunny days. So if they chose to turn on their immersion when the sun came out, I suppose they could describe this as having hot water from the panels. Nobody is fitting solar hot water panels for free, and they never have.

I was asking phoenix rather than stating, knowing that one of our neighbours had them fitted free and the other two paid for them and get paid for any excess electricity they produce. All seem extremely pleased. DH has done a lot of research into them so I think I know the difference.

One neighbour said he has had plenty of hot water for them and their family who have been staying with them with the recent March sunshine. His roof does, of course, face south.

rosequartz I think you are a bit confused about solar panels to say the least.
There has never been a grant scheme to pay install them - so that would be a slight problem for starters if you were a bit skint.
Also
Nearly all the panels in the UK are not hot water solar but electrical solar.
There has been a repayment for the electricity they generate and as well as this you get to use the electricity to free. But you's have to have a lot of panels and a lot of sunshine to keep an immersion heater going!

One neighbour who had them fitted has recently died so I wonder if it will affect the house sale negatively or positively.

Two other neighbours are very pleased with theirs.

I have an interview for a part time temp job on Friday, but I'm not holding my breath. Mr P had what seemed to be a good interview in Swindon last week (would have meant living away again, but needs must) but it turned out he didn't get it.

(and of course in some cases, not even that!)

No job prospects on the horizon for either of you, phoenix?
The trouble is, unless you've got a few dependent children, benefits really do only cover the bare minimum.

They have been cut back a lot, rosequartz and when we did look into it a few years ago it wasn't really viable for us. I think it's of more benefit if you are at home all day, which of course we currently are but hope not to be sooner rather than later. Can also cause a few slight problems when you come to sell.

Are there still schemes for free solar panels, and would you qualify, Phoenix? At least hot water in the summer, not using expensive oil, several of our neighbours are very pleased although we have not ventured down that path yet. Some paid, others got them fitted free.

That depends, Soutra ! If you are thinking what I think you may be thinking.................

I hope I am not reading too much into this post, phoenix?