{"id":167858,"date":"2025-06-08T15:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T15:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/167858\/"},"modified":"2025-06-08T15:04:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T15:04:11","slug":"woman-69-shares-reality-of-life-on-the-state-pension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/167858\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman, 69, shares reality of life on the state pension"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before getting help, Sue Sayer, 69, had no idea just how difficult retirement could be. <\/p>\n

Despite a lifetime of work, her state pension was barely enough to keep the lights on, let alone cover daily essentials.<\/p>\n

Speaking exclusively with GB News, Sayer said: “My pension would only cover my rent and fuel bills. I was left with about \u00a330 a month for everything else. That included my pet insurance, life insurance, food – everything.”<\/p>\n

Sayer had never heard of Pension Credit or Council Tax reduction before seeking help. She said: “I knew nothing about Pension Credit. But once I came down to Brandwood Centre in Birmingham, they helped me get online and apply. I couldn\u2019t have done it on my own. I\u2019m not computer-wise at all.”<\/p>\n

Before receiving the support, she explained what it was like to live on the state pension alone.<\/p>\n

“The state pension is not enough to live on comfortably on. It wouldn’t have been possible without the Pension Credit, without a doubt. After bills I didn’t have a lot and I would be worried if I couldn’t pay my life insurance and pet health insurance. It all costs a lot of money. <\/p>\n

“If you haven’t got a private pension, it’d be very, very hard to live on very hard. No doubt, because I’ve gone through my life and I’ve had to manage.<\/p>\n

“So just even my quality of life has improved with finding out I can claim Pension Credit, all thanks to the centre..”<\/p>\n

Across the UK, Cadent’s 350 Centres for Warmth have become a lifeline many for accessing financial aid and managing debt.<\/p>\n

With the centre’s application support, Sayer now receives over \u00a3400 in additional support each month, including Pension Credit and Council Tax help.<\/p>\n

\"Suesayer\"\/<\/p>\n

Even with support, Sayer said every pound still counts<\/p>\n

SueSAYER\/CADET<\/p>\n

Without the help, Sayer would avoid all check ups due to the cost, even it put her at a disadvantage.<\/p>\n

She said: “I\u2019d walk away from dentist appointments because I didn\u2019t have \u00a329.30 for the check-up. I needed a denture that would\u2019ve cost \u00a3600, but I couldn’t have afforded that.<\/p>\n

“I’m active and I didn’t want to walk around with no teeth and not being able to hear people. So having that pension credit was great, but I wouldn’t have been able to get that if it hadn’t been for the people down the centre helping me, you know, going online with me and, and doing it. It’s it’s been amazing.”<\/p>\n

Her monthly state pension income was about \u00a3860, but her rent alone came to \u00a3700, with fuel bills topping \u00a3158. “There wasn\u2019t anything left. Without Pension Credit, I wouldn\u2019t have coped,” Sayer said.<\/p>\n

\"Sue<\/p>\n

Sue Sayer and Donna at Brandwood centre<\/p>\n

SAYER\/CADET<\/p>\n

Sayer was supported by the Brandwood Centre in Birmingham, one of Cadent\u2019s Centres for Warmth. She now gives back by volunteering in its catering team. <\/p>\n

She said: “I live on my own and I didn\u2019t really know where to turn to when it came to benefits.<\/p>\n

“The support has made such a big impact on my life. I now worry less about other expenses that come my way, like dental or hearing, and I\u2019ve been inspired to volunteer at the centre.”<\/p>\n

She says the difference has been life-changing. “I always cook fresh because it\u2019s cheaper and better for you. I make soups and share them with others at the centre. But I still have to be careful. Even now, I won\u2019t buy what I can\u2019t afford.”<\/p>\n

Denise Lelliott from Cortonwood Comeback Community Centre said: “Visitors to our centre are facing a number of challenges and we\u2019re here to ensure we can support them, whether that is with benefits applications or budgeting.<\/p>\n

\"DWPSarra Morris had claimed benefits when telling the DWP she struggled with basic daily tasks and used a walking stick when feeling tired and unsteady.PA<\/p>\n

“We often find that many residents are restricted by the digital nature of applications.”<\/p>\n

Even with support, Sayer said every pound still counts as “everything\u2019s gone up. Food prices are up, gas and electricity are more expensive. You can\u2019t get three carrots anymore you have to buy a full pack. There\u2019s a lot of waste if you\u2019re not careful.”<\/p>\n

At the centre\u2019s free caf\u00e9, she cooks, chats and brings the community together. She said: “We do toast, tea, bingo, and a raffle. People get out of the house and talk. They laugh. It makes a difference.<\/p>\n

“”I like knowing I\u2019ve done something useful. It cheers me up.”<\/p>\n

Sayer continued: “Even if you think you won\u2019t get anything, go and ask. The centre helped me claim what I was owed. I wouldn\u2019t have done it on my own. I would\u2019ve just worried myself to death.<\/p>\n

“There are people who sit in chairs all day and never go out because they think they can\u2019t. But sometimes, all it takes is someone showing you the way.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Before getting help, Sue Sayer, 69, had no idea just how difficult retirement could be. Despite a lifetime…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":167859,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3093],"tags":[51,487,474,1232,2499,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-167858","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-cost-of-living","10":"tag-finance","11":"tag-money","12":"tag-personal-finance","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114648361879879557","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}