Managing housing costs feels like walking a tightrope every month. Rent and bills take up most of what I earn, leaving very little for anything else. I’m constantly juggling priorities sometimes choosing between paying for heating or buying food. The stress of not knowing if I can cover next month’s rent never really goes away.

It’s exhausting, and it affects every part of life—from my mental health to how I care for my family. Stable, affordable housing isn’t just a roof over our heads—it’s the foundation we need to feel safe and hopeful.

Every month I do a plan. I write down everything I can think of that needs paying. Work out what we get from a wage, benefits etc.

so I always know what’s spare if anything is spare. I do give things up like food if I find it’s costing more. Which tends to be every month at the minute.

It doesn’t give much room for anything unexpected. So when that happens I do tend to use things like zilch and Clearpay to spread the cost.

Really struggling to remain focused and positive at the moment. Had the results back from my MRi to find out I need full reconstruction surgery on my ACL and meniscus of my left knee. The wait for an operation is 6-9 months if I'm lucky with and then the recovery will be another 9-12 months. I wish I could go private and get it done ASAP. So I'm not hobbling about after a neurodiverse 4 year old. If I could afford to go private the recovery period will be much less no doubt with intensive therapy but this isn't an option right now. My worry is how am I going to get 3 kids from nursery and school in 3 different areas while I'm in recovery and cant drive? My son's school is 25 miles away. I don't think I'll be able to afford taxis there and back. So the dilemma is, do I not have the operation and live in pain and the worry of my knee keep dislocating or do I have it and struggle to be a single parent?

I'm sure I'm not the only parent in the world who has put their kids before their own health and wellness but when does it get easier? Asking for a friend 🤣

I stay in a council flat with my daughter.

We moved in a year ago after struggling with high private rent for 10 years.

The garden is shared with other flat owners. They are particular about keeping it neat and tidy to an almost obsession. But won't share garden tools. I bought a hoe to loosen the earth to remove the weeds and weed killer for the weeds between the paving slabs which are constant repeated jobs. Everyone except me in the block has a shed. It would be £250 + manual costs to have it put up and levelled which is not a priority. I bought a garden storage box which cost £40 to store the tools but it has no lock on it and is plastic. I had to weigh it down with a boulder I found on the beach for strong winds, which happen regularly in the North of Scotland.

Fortunately a neighbour cuts the grass as it would cost me a lot to not only purchase a mower but also it would use electricity.

Last winter my water pipe burst in the kitchen. The council did necessary repairs but it's a mess. They painted over the wet walls which ran and there's big streaks of water marks. The cost of kitchen paint is £25 for 2.5 litres. As I am disabled and no family support it would cost £50 per hour to hire a handyman to do the job.

There were no floor coverings in the flat when we moved in. I had to purchase carpets and vinyl flooring 1 room at a time. In total it cost me £2000. No built-in wardrobes meant buying 2 flat pack wardrobes at £99 each. A handyman charged £70 each to build them.

In private rent homes. White goods are included. A new washing machine cost me £210 in the sale + £70 delivery + £70 installation.

A basic fridge freezer cost £240.

Had to purchase curtains / blinds for each window as flat is on the ground floor. Roller blinds worked out cheaper than curtains and curtain poles. A cheap roller blind costing £10 cost £50 each to be fitted by a handyman. There are 6 windows in the flat.

Paying a handyman to put together 2 bed frames cost me £200.

The flat had a damp problem which has been treated however emulsion paint to redecorate each room is £12 for 2.5 litre tin.

Wallpaper would be lovely but more expensive + paying someone to do the decorating more than doubles the cost.

It's a DAY TO REMEMBER AND BE GRATEFUL FOR. I RECEIVED A NEW JOB OFFER TODAY.

Feeling really overwhelmed at the moment with half term and hospital appointments and kids birthdays and filling in forms and applications and then to hear that the government is considering removing ehcps for children in mainstream is the icing on the cake. Taking from disabled people, children or adults is simply wrong.

Without his Ehcp my son would become a school refuser, he wouldn't have access to his 1 2 1 and his key worker. The school would simply suspend him as opposed to help him and honestly right now I feel this government do not have any of our best interests at heart. I suppose if I had money I'd be able to privately educate or home educate him but that's not a luxury I have at the moment.

This government is pushing our children deep past the poverty line and removing any accommodations and support that would otherwise make this bearable.

This has a knock on effect on my mental health and that of my children. When the future looks bleak and you already fight every day to simply survive it's easy to sink into negative thoughts and worries to spiral.

It's difficult but just get through though costs especially food, it's shot right up

Hello, good morning. I'm sorry. I have to respond to this late. I'm about where I stay. Yes, it has had a bad impact on my opportunities.

The local Council I stay. There are no places for children to play for free. There are no explore Wishin for the children. There are no free studies for myself. So I had to go to another council. Another Borough which is very far for me to study for free because I'm not eligible to go to college now. And another thing, I

I could remember is that there is an apprenticeship course going on in another borough another area entirely and very far for me. I couldn't go because I have children to look after

And. Even if I want to pay for the child care for them is going to cost me a lot, because I have to calculate the travel cost and the travel time to add for the child minder to look after them. But if it was in my area, I know I'm going for just two hours and I'll have to pay the Childminder for two hours.

But going far away from where I stay. At least two or three hours. I will be heading to the two hours because I have to travel down there for like one hour or two hours before I could get there and my coming back, so, it's a lot. And when I calculated it, I lost that opportunity. It was very painful to me. And I learnt that my borough, there are wealthy people there, so that is why we don't have enough food

banks and other Lookout Services. Thank you very much, hopefully it will be fine.

Hello, I'm so sorry, I'm doing this late because I just have the time now about the advice support for mental health, I think. And I had that GP help. I have no issues on Mental Health before though, there are anxiety stress and some little little symptoms, but I

I refuse to speak out because I have kids and I heard that they take kids away from you, where you are facing mental stress, but I am able to manage myself. Now, some people say they go because I do workshops in the late and I hear people's experiences. So some goes to the GP and people refer them or ask them.

Not even refer. They asked them to go somewhere to go to somewhere for the right support. And when they get there they is either. There are long waiting list or they start asking you questions that we make you remember the past I think the GP should take note of your complaints and refer you straight and they should stop asking a lot of questions because

Asking a lot of questions, remind us about what we are going through and we will start the anxiety disorder from stage 1. Again, thank you so much. Mental. Stress is heavy way. Thank you.

Hi, good morning. Thanks so much for the big question of the week about the housing. I'm actually in temporary accommodation and surely. There are some extra hidden costs which is like its Utilities and all of that. But I don't know if I can share, one of my sister's experience. She moved from a house to another apartment which is a private accommodation. And suddenly all the extra bills didn't want, switch are not saying before keeps on coming in and because of the benefit curve, the council refused to pay all the event and has car to sorts out. They be balanced. So, I'm so shocked, like why would they do that? Then all everywhere. She was going, she couldn't get

Extra support about that. So she's really, really struggling and the most surprising thing is that she had to pay for the other bills like the light water electricity, and council tax. And all of that, all of a sudden Obie's, keep coming in coming in and they cancel refused to pay the full payment of the accommodation.

And how. So they they, they have to reduce the she had three kids and they had to reduce the benefit for all the three kids to True kids. So a lot is going on within that and hopefully maybe the government can see to ease and let us leave a stress free accommodation. Thank you.

One of the main issues we have faced has been which problem is the responsibility of the Housing Authority, and which is our responsibility. The door handles were constantly broken, within 2 weeks of moving in they had almost all fallen off and it was impossible to close the bathroom door. When I asked if the Housing Authority could help, they said the door handles were considered a 'gift' and it would be up to me to not only replace the handles, but also the doors unless they are fire doors. That kind of cost is extortionate and so we now have a bathroom door which doesn't work properly. Rent increases are also an absolute nightmare as you have to make sure Housing Benefit are aware well in advance of changes or else you have to find the additional money yourself.

Struggling taking it day by day. Hoping for a miracle because that's what we all need right now.