As the year comes to an end, fear is building up with regards to high cost of living and new things coming to law. Lots of us are so scared of the future but no matter what happens, we are hopeful that somehow we will be fine.

Today is the beginning of the end of the year that started like a marathon. It started with lots of uncertainty with fear as a result of high cost of living. The fear is still there as the cost of living has not come down..

As we decorated our Christmas tree this weekend, It struck me how I would have usually bought foiled wrapped chocolates to hide in between the branches of the tree, as my family used to love the surprise of finding them again, as an occasional treat over the school holidays. Also my brother, when he visited us, just to tease me, used to make a habit of secretly removing and eating one of the chocolates from it's wrapper so I would be puzzled by who the culprit was.

This year I haven't bought any chocolates to hang on the tree. It seems an unnecessary extravagance.

These are some of the unexpected consequences of watching your pennies.

Tradition has gone....

Comfort has gone....

Choice has been eradicated...

They may not seem like big things but it's the little pleasures in life that make a big difference.

Wealth is not simply about an abundance of money, but the absence of financial stress and insecurity.

I'd love to have some of that financial stability around about now, especially in time for Christmas.

So apparently I can work from home, earning enough to support myself to live in a reasonable amount of comfort I assume? Or at least enough to cover what the Government removes from my income if I don't engage with the process? I'm certain there's plenty of jobs out there ready to pay me a great wage to work from home doing something I'm not really good at or interested in, otherwise how else would politicians end up where they are?

Could Jeremy Hunt concentrate at work if petrol was poured over a limb and set alight 24/7 even in a sedentary job?

If he knows it all now after medics have been searching for over 200 years for a cause treatment and cure for this disease, then he has an absolute duty to share this cure with the world's medical profession.

I very much doubt Jeremy Hunt will be prepared to swear in a court of law under oath what it is he claims long term sufferers with medical conditions can do? I doubt he would commit to paper what he doesn't truly know for certain. Thus putting long term health sufferers at risk of deteriorating health and extra burden on the NHS to take care of them.

It's self explanatory, that if after 200 years, world experts don't know the answers, a politician surely does not.

Christmas is now a few short weeks away. This used to be a wonderful time for myself and my daughter, but when the pandemic started, followed by the cost of living crisis, it has been harder and harder to engage in Christmas like before. This year will be really tough. As yet I have not been able to do any sort of preparation, no tree, no celebration dinner, no little gifts for my daughter. So this year it seems like it is all but cancelled. Fortunately I am not in any sort of debt, except the odd late bill payment. But I am very careful and only use what I think I can afford. After the Autumn statement I am having to face another year of no increase in the rate of legacy benefits, which I have now come to a point where I feel it is going to push me over the edge financially. I feel I must make some sort of effort for my daughter at this time of of year, so I will try to get her a few small gifts and something a bit more healthy to eat on Christmas day, and as usual make cutbacks to my own life and wellbeing to do so. But this can't carry on due to the impact it is having on my daughter's and my own physical/ mental health. As it is now, she is in bed with a severe case of tonsilitis and at the beging of December has to go for an opperation to have a lump removed from her knee, which is obviously very worrying for both of us. However if only for my daughters sake and the fact that I now know there are people out there that care, who also face their own difficulties in life, I will continue to struggle on and campaign for a better future for all struggling families through the work of this programme.

The Chancellors autumn statement.

The tax cuts sounds positive, however he failed to tell that the energy price cap will be lifted in 1st January 2024 as well as the annual inflation rise on April 1st.

These means in general, most households will not benefit from extra disposable income.

Taxes have risen in last 5 years and more of the population of the UK are wakening up to corruption from the Conservatives. A general election is nearing, therefore the statement is to fool the UK into believing the Conservatives are interested in improving our quality of life.

The statement on benefit claiments is cruel.

It's proves, the Tories have no empathy for anyone who is struggling financially.

Forcing people into jobs that may cause poor mental health due to toxic work environment as well as low pay will impact more people negatively on low incomes.

I would be interested to find out what type of home working the disabled and sick are to do. Home working would be limited and if heavily medicated, will anyone have the concentration to work at all?

I do not believe it's about helping people into work, it's about working to pay taxes to the Conservatives who are handing out contracts to Tory peers to make profits for themselves and their millionaire friends.

Every "crisis" has been created from situations already there. Immigrants have always came to the UK. The Tories suddenly make a big noise on propaganda media, and they " solve" the problem by handing out contracts to Tory party hedge funders who own hotels and caravan parks who are raking in £millions per day to exploit these human beings by housing them in poor standard basic accommodation.

I see a pattern of " crisis" followed by Tory "solutions"

It's immoral and corrupt.

I was grateful that Jeremy hunt and his “compassionate conservative government” saw fit to use the higher inflation rate for the benefit uprate, but let’s be honest it just isn’t enough. Prices are still climbing astronomically on everything from fuel to food. Realistically there will be very little impact by this uprate. Families are cold and hungry now!!

Jeremy claimed that work is the way out of poverty but if that is the case why are there so many working people having to claim universal credit?

I was beyond horrified with his announcement regarding sick and disabled people. He claims an increase in support to get sick and disabled people back into work, what he really meant was forcing the sick and disabled back into work regardless of their capability with the threat of mandatory work experience and loss of benefits! This will not help the sick and disabled it just adds more stress and worry. This is counterintuitive all it will do is risk the physical and mental health of people. What would help is to stop being made to jump through hoops constantly having to prove we are sick or disabled.

What I watched on the day of the autumn statement was a bunch of out of touch rich people smiling, nodding and cheering as they threatened to take money from a group of the most vulnerable people.

If you're not looking for work then we'll put in work placements. A) how does that incentivise employers to employ folk if they can get cheap free labour through forced work placements? And B) modern workhouse much, we've decided it's your fault you're not working, never mind asking why isn't anyone hiring this person and how can we resolve that, no no just punish the unemployed by forcing them to work for nothing, UC is already less than they'd get in work. If you're able to get work placements for folk, why aren't you able to get work for folk. Don't give out people to businesses as cheap labour, force businesses to hire more people. There is no logic.

No one would hire me anyway, this whole autumn statement of disabled people must look for work bs completely misses the point that most employers won't hire people with disabilities, not just got of discrimination but cos some disabilities are health and safety hazards in the work place. My disability is both mental and physical, but it's my mental health that's a barrier to work, due to childhood trauma there is no cure just learning to live with it and it impacts every aspect of my day. If I were working in a shop, for example, maybe most days I'd be fine, maybe. But the odd day I could have a panic attack, or the symptoms of my mental health could get suddenly overwhelming and make me a risk to myself and others. Who would hire someone based on that risk, no one. I know cos I was unemployed for years before finally getting the disability benefits and no one would hire me then either. The workplace hasn't gotten more welcoming to people with disabilities, only harder and harsher, it's already so much harder to find work as it is and with so many unemployed the employers have many options, why would they risk their productivity on someone like me. They never had and never will.

Good morning all, a couple of days ago, I received a lovely hand coloured card with a truly thoughtful and kind message inside. I do not usually have much contact with the outside world, but this card has had an amazing effect on the way that I feel. I would never have believed that such a simple gesture of kindness could have such an impact on my life.😀

Facing winter weather problems in a cold home again.

Reached day three of the indoor laundry drying process. No wonder our clothes smell like a wet dog by the time they come to be re-worn. Leaves a lasting impression on other people we come into contact with, e.g., school teachers, family or friends, co workers, interviewers. Well done to the UK Government on reducing the basic standard of living!

Either I'm forced to rewash things, pay launderette charges, or smell iffy.

Also it doesn't help that I'm adding to existing condensation issues in the property.