Voting. I was talking to my neighbours lately about it, I got a letter last week telling me where my local polling station is for local elections next month. It's not even on a bus route, too far to walk, I'd need to rent a taxi to get there and back. It's too far for my elderly neighbours, my estate is full of the elderly and disabled (I fall under the disabled category) and most of them I've talk too have said it's simple too far for them, they don't plan on voting, saying they don't see the point, the country is for shite now anyway even if labour gets in. It's all just two faces on the same coin. I reminded them they can share taxis to split the cost or use postal votes, but a lot of them can't access the online system to set up a postal vote. I'm going to try to help whoever I can but most are so disenfranchised that they won't even try. I don't blame them. We have a community centre right in the middle of our estate, they said it's where they used to go to vote, why should we have to go essentially two estates away that's not even on a bus route. It's mental. And most of them can't understand why they have to now apply for photo id from an online system they don't fully understand or have access too. And no matter how I try to help them it's just too overwhelming for them so they won't try. That's about 20 people in my local estate who say they won't vote cos it's too confusing and complicated now and they can't get to the voting station for us. It really feels like we're being prevented from voting, the government is putting barriers in place to make us not vote. It feels deliberate. It's so unfair.

I am In in this position at present.

As a single parent, I am moving home with my teen daughter. We are down sizing to a small council flat as unable to afford the high private rent. There are no carpets and I need to buy a cooker as well as pay for removals.

I am unable to get credit from any lenders unless it has a high apr of 100 to 150%.

I have applied to the Scottish Welfare fund for a community care grant however the process time takes 28 days and I need to leave the current property before then.

The stress has caused my anxiety to worsen. Unable to sleep, exhausted and feel worthless as nobody to help. Citizens Advice appt is still another 3 weeks away.

I am selling furniture online that won't fit into the flat, but no Internet to buy yet.

I am walking to new flat with boxes and bags of clothes which are heavy and I find humiliating as I need to keep stopping to rest.

I am jealous of other women who have husbands and live in large homes. All their bills and costs are paid by the husband.

I have applied to the DWP for a loan but why only offer half what I need and it's to be paid back at @£30 per week. That's huge deductions from my benefits. I am struggling to decide to accept it or decline. I am angry and frustrated at how we are being treated in a cost of living crisis.

I have lost my last piece of positivity.

So the prime minister is coming to my town, for a live Q&A, only found out from a news article posted in the local paper the day before.

But I wanted to go, say something about this group and ask what we ask in big idea sessions. So I followed the link to "apply" to be in the audience, said that I'd have fill in a questionnaire (so off the jot red flag, this tells me they're trying to make sure they have a certain type of audience "wanting to hear what's important to voters" clearly means only the voters that suit their agenda). So I try the questionnaire. First question, "Which if these valid photo IDs do you have? Passport, drivers licence, none of the above."

I don't have a valid passport, I can't afford to get it renewed and don't have a driver's license as my mental health means I can't drive. But I do have the free voter photo ID that the gov offers, but that wasn't an option. So I clicked non of the above and immediately it said "sorry you can't complete this survey".

So I see that as another red flag, proving my first point, only certain people are wanted in that audience and definitely not those who can't afford the photo IDs that cost money. They'll say it's a security issue, but that's just as insulting to make it so hard to get a passport and then say we're part of a possible security risk of we don't have photo ID is offensive and unjust.

I'm vexed. First there's not enough heads up of him coming here for a "public" Q&A, second that they're definitely trying to fix the audience to suit their agenda and third that people from low incomes are clearly not welcome, just as we're not welcome to vote unless we jump through hoops.

The prime minister is a coward.

It really hit home to me today when I received a letter from my child's school about a school trip (which needs to be paid for) exactly how tight things really are, living on a low income/benefits.

I feel like I've only just recovered (financially) from paying for a new set of uniform and school supplies for my child to start the new half-term with, before I'm now having to find more money to fund the school trip so that my child doesn't feel left out by his friends and classmates if he doesn't attend.

What hit home to me most today is the fact that being a single parent on a low income/benefits is a constant financial juggling act often riddled with guilt and anxiety.

Well that was mad ended up in hosp only now got home 3.18 am and we have been struggling food xx

My hope for this new year is that food price will go down, energy bill will go down etc to live our life. My biggest fear in new year for the society cohesion due to conflict around the world.

I just hope for a better year! Everything was put under strain last year. I do try to plan ahead as much as I can to avoid any unexpected surprises that you don’t want to have. The more I plan ahead the better everything seems to be.

Due to living cost crisis our children are living in poverty. Most of the time they are starving. We can't meet all of their demand as a parent which affect them physically as well as mentally. They need extra food, extra care, extra love but we can't meet them always. We have to cut our entertainment, outing, clothing etc to live on basic.

Happy Christmas and holidays to everyone…

It is definitely stressful time of the year with all the expenses. My daughter's birthday is on Boxing Day which is an extra added pressure.

Warm wishes to all of you.

Well cant wait for Xmas to be done with this year as been a hard year. Finding that a family member had breast cancer, which she is a survivor, and to now she has bone cancer. While growing up she was there for me - just wish I could be there for her.

It really just proves how much my government really hates me and people like me. That were little more than undesirable burdens on the state for disabilities and illnesses that we didn't ask for just goes to show how dangerous a place the world is for anyone who doesn't fit into a very narrow type of person. It's dehumanising and dangerously hurtful.

Chancellor's this week budget statement make me hopeful. We are low income family and need extra cash to run our family well. I will be directly affected by his benefit cut as having long term chronic illness and unable to go back to work. Chancellor should understand the circumstances of people like me.