‘I tried to hold down the fort but it crumbled’: Single mother in debt pushed to brink by bills crisis

On the Breadline: ‘All I wanted was for the debt to disappear,’ single mother of two says

For Flora, a single mother of two sons living in Scotland, the cost of living crisis has led her to the very edge of despair.

The foster carer had fallen down a spiral of credit card debt after she split up with her husband.

When Christmas came around, she did not want to let any of her relatives down, so she continued to buy presents for her large extended family.

She said: “I couldn’t bear to tell people I couldn’t afford to buy them gifts, so everything went on cards. Then my washing machine broke down and I put that on the card too.

Soon food and petrol was bought on credit. My heating bills were £110 a month and now they’re £250 a month. I was trying to hold down the fort but it was crumbling down on me.” 

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Things got so bad that Flora entered a dark place. “I wanted to take my life,” she said. “I was sitting in my bathtub, ready to die. All I wanted was for the debt to disappear.”

It was a phone call to the Bridge Community Project that saved her life. The team flagged the grants she was applicable for, helped her to comb through her finances to see where she could save money.

But most of all, they listened and reassured her that she would make it.

They also gave her immediate practical support – the group works with the West Lothian Food Network and supplies its clients with food recipe bags and energy top-ups when they can.

The Scottish charity is one of the organisations that will be eligible for funding as part of our On the Breadline Christmas Appeal in partnership with Comic Relief.

Tricia Fraser, support adviser, and Lesley Balaj, financial wellbeing manager, at the Bridge Community project, which offers affordable counselling, free groups and courses, and financial wellbeing advice to residents of West Lothian (Jo Hanley/Comic Relief)

Manager Lesley Balaj said: “We catch the people who tend to fall through the gaps. We work steadily and slowly with the person in a way that mainstream spaces don’t have time to do.

“More recently, we are seeing lots of people who are not just on benefits, but are also homeowners who are working and have a decent wage but cannot meet their current bills.

“We aspire to provide long-term solutions but the cost of living crisis means we are helping with immediate solutions – plasters over gaping holes.”

(Independent)

The charity also supports Mary, a 29-year-old single mum who was drowning in debt before she made contact with the Bridge Community Project. 

Mary said: “I was hiding from my debt, ignoring calls and letters that kept coming. I couldn’t deal with it. I have a one-year-old and I was scared someone was going to come to the door and take everything from me.”

The Bridge helped her find ways to cut costs and pay her debts. “They were amazing,” Mary said. “They sent me a recipe bag with ingredients and video-called to help me cook dinner.

“A few weeks ago, I was struggling to keep up with my gas payment and I was in tears. The Bridge gave me a £30 voucher to see me through. They are helping me through these very, very hard times.”

Names of service users have been changed.

Our Christmas appeal in a nutshell

What is happening?

We have partnered with Comic Relief to launch On the Breadline, our cost of living Christmas appeal.

Where will the money go?

To organisations in London and across the UK working to help people on the breadline cope with the cost of living crisis.

How can you help?

To help children and communities most affected by the cost of living crisis, donate here.

Anyone who needs support can call Samaritans free of charge on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website.