As if things aren’t hard enough as it is living pay to pay, bank account empty, waiting on UC payment in 8 days, however receive a message about my childcare costs, they’ve rejected my childcare costs because they’ve paid for someone else’s kids, I have one child not named any of the names they’ve mentioned, so because of an error on their part I won’t now be paid the childcare I’ve paid already, so I will struggle further, can’t phone them as now the job centre deal with childcare costs, but I call the job centre and because I don’t have a claim number as I work they won’t speak to me, I can’t go down because I work and there’s a day left to the cut off to get the money in my next UC payment, universal credit say it’s not a matter for them, they take weeks to respond to messages put in the journal, I get this is a mistake on their part however these issues take too long to sort out, it took 4 months for their last error to be solved. I can’t deal with this right now.

For people like us, the cost of living crisis is far from over. Just because inflation rates may have slowed slightly, this does not all of a sudden mean people who rely on in-work or out of work benefits can afford the basic costs of living. Again it is the media who are perpetuating this, and there are perhaps political reasons to do so. Surely if the crisis was over, then families like ours would not be paying a larger proportionate percentage of income for food, housing and energy.

This September has hit the hardest. I have had to make cuts to what I buy in terms of school uniform, eeking out last year’s tattered uniform and making do with items outgrown. The cost of childcare has increased too and that has put an enormous strain on my budget.

Absolutely not. I’m finding now more than ever I’m really losing sleep over worrying about money. The price of everything is beyond a joke and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. I’ve just got my daughter a place in playgroup because it’s cheaper than ‘childcare’ to try and free up some hours for me to be able to get back to work, and I honestly don’t know how I’m going to manage. It’s £210 a month for only 12 hours a week. Jobs don’t even pay an hourly rate that’s enough to cover it. I don’t know how anyone is expected to live at the minute.

As a single parent I’m reliant on my parents for childcare over the summer holidays. I cannot afford childcare for the extra time during the days. On top of the usual beginning of the school year expenses (uniform, school shoes and stationery), I have the additional cost of childcare for September.

Summertime is already an expensive time in general, the children do need the odd trip out, and this incurs further expenses. I am looking forward to the children returning to school.

Cant wait for them go back to school. I find 6 weeks is too long.

Hi Ella, thank you for your question.

My Son is in Year 10 now, so it will be things like GCSE material, books, finding extra support, for me that will be the concern. This is an important time for him. Finances are so stretched it's difficult to squeeze a little bit of money for extra support for him. I do feel helpless and guilty for not being able to help him the same I did for my older two boys.

Yes, I am very worried about my children they are going to a new school because I changed my address and my children are not happy because they miss their old school and in their new school the timetable is different. Now I am thinking how to manage for their new school.

I am looking forward to some routine now that our children here in Scotland are back to school.

Not having to worry about my daughter being fed during the day and how I am going to keep her entertained now the summer holidays are over.

I feel selfish even thinking this way but life is just so hard.

Well finally a bit of sunshine, the children have enjoyed the garden which has eased the burden and made it a little more bearable as they have been kept busy helping do the garden jobs.

Hiya the school uniform situation is getting me really down, as I'm not entitled to free school meals because I earn £6 over the threshold. Don't know how I'm going to make it work with cost of food going up again in September .

I've saved and saved to treat the kids this school holidays but with everything going up there was no chance I could afford the extortionate prices most places are charging and the fuel to get there.

I discovered vinted recently and although it's a lot of effort and hard work I've uploaded loads of the kids old clothes and shoes and my current clothes and shoes and made enough to take them on a treat day.

Honestly hope my kids never have to sell their own belongings when they are adults to treat their kids. But for now that's where I'm at

I am looking forward to the children starting school in September, so that I don't have to pay nursery fees any longer. I am looking forward to saving some money from those fees to perhaps put towards driving lessons, as this is something I've never been able to afford to do. I will really miss Changing Realities, and the end of the project is something I am not looking forward to.