At 73, my week on the state pension from one meal a day to doing my own dentistry

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1. ***Muriel Westworth, 73, of Preston, Lancashire, worked since she was 15 but never had a private pension. Now, her and her husband face a monthly battle to make ends meet.***

   ***In The i Paper, she shares a daily diary of her life and thoughts as she battles health issues and surviving the cost of living crisis***.

   When you’re young, you think you’re invincible and don’t think about the future. I never thought I’d end up like this.

   I’ve been married to my husband Gordon for 37 years. I’ve got two sons Sean, 53 and Wayne, 48 and they are my world. I’ve got 10 grandchildren. Sean has three children and Wayne has seven. I’ve also got three great-grandchildren.

   I’m lucky because I have a lovely family who are very supportive. Without them, I’d be [stuck inside the house](https://inews.co.uk/news/cold-months-rejected-winter-fuel-payment-3553973?ico=in-line_link) most of the time, as my health is letting me down, and I have very limited mobility.

   I’ve worked all my life since the age of 15. I would still be working now if I wasn’t in so much pain.

   I have [arthritis](https://inews.co.uk/news/disabled-pensioner-could-die-labour-welfare-cuts-3600907?ico=in-line_link) and lymphedema in my legs. I also have fibromyalgia and asthma. It is difficult to do anything physical, and I am on a lot of medication and painkillers.

   I [worked past retirement age](https://inews.co.uk/news/waspi-woman-ballet-teacher-boost-pension-3382769?ico=in-line_link) until 67 because we needed the money. I liked being with people, so I really didn’t want to pack in work, but my health left me with no choice.

   I get £1000 a month from the state pension and the [personal independence payment (PIP)](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/pip-common-conditions-anxiety-adhd-3567908?ico=in-line_link) from the government.

   Gordon is 10 years younger than me and will turn 63 in a couple of months. He works nights at Asda for 30 hours a week. If it wasn’t for Gordon still working and bringing in that extra money, we wouldn’t be able to survive.

   # MONDAY

   Today, like most days, I haven’t done much. I got up, had my shower and did a bit of cleaning in the kitchen. But then I couldn’t stand up any longer because the pain was too much.

   It is also [horrible being old](https://inews.co.uk/news/cold-months-rejected-winter-fuel-payment-3553973?ico=in-line_link). In my mind, I’m still young, and I feel the same as I did when I was 25. It is just my body that is letting me down. When I think of all the things I did with my boys when they were younger, it makes me feel sad and angry that I can’t do that anymore.

   My mobility is affected very badly, so I can’t do much at all. We live in a housing association home and they have been very good and have installed a stairlift for me so I can get upstairs.

   I use a walking frame and have a wheelchair and also have an electric mobility scooter, but it is too big for the car so I only use that locally.

2. Fear not – Sir Keith is going to increase the defence budget to 2% of GDP, meaning that billions can be pissed up the wall on defence contracts that go way over budget and are delivered so late that the equipment is immediately obsolete.

   Obviously this is fuck all help for these two, but as they sink further into poverty, they can at least take some comfort in the knowledge that our Dear Leader had the opportunity to dress up like Action
   Man and have his photo taken riding a tank.

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