Fri 111122 Government help: British Gas/Council rebate...worries about rising costs, in future.

BRITISH GAS This month I was given... £66.00 help towards my British Gas PAYG/Pay As You Go electricity a/c.. In order to receive it, I had to go down to the GPO/General Post Office with the meter 'key' needing to be topped up/together with sufficient ID. So, normally, the meter downstairs has no money on it...; and, for that reason, I am forced to live in darkness. Having to move around downstairs either in the dark/or else, using a USB torch, instead. But, for now, at least, I got 'lighting' come back, again. ----- COUNCIL TAX REFUND I recieved a Council Tax refund of £200.00; paid directly into my bank a/c., today. My bank a/c. is, currently, overdrawn by: £2,000.00. As I have very little funds coming in...through being 'unemployed'; therefore, my a/c. is, constantly, in a state of being overdrawn; and, for which I have to pay monthly interest of about £40.00/or, £480.00 yearly. Meaning, if I do get some money coming in...; then, I am forced to spend it...on paying other bills; thus, most of the time, my bank a/c. balance says absolutely nil. In fact, when I don't have enough money to be able to survive on...; I feel 'forced' into taking out a loan to pay for things; then, that loan a/c. reaches the maximum limit; right now, I owe £500.00 in loans...due to be repaid. Plus, there are, at least, 4 more outstanding loans to be repaid; for which I have had to set up an agreement to repay them £5.00 monthly/ (only, then, they will cease pouring on other interest charges). ----- CONCLUSION I live my life in a continual state of being totally 'flat broke'. Any help I get is good, of course; and, is much appreciated....; but, the truth is, it doesn't really change much...; I'm still living life being totally 'flat broke' all the time. In short, this is NOT what I call, really and truly, 'living'; being able to spend on what you want. Right now, I need... - a new computer/my current computer has really low memory(118GB). It costs, at least, £200.00 to buy a new one(1TB); but, right now, -with all of the other bills still yet to pay- I just cannot afford it?! - both the quaterly electricity/gas is set to 'double'. I'm actually afraid to send in what is the 'latest' monthly meter reading...in case, the price will leave me shocked! If the quarterly price of both gas/electricty would normally average out at around: £400.00+; and, that price is, now, set to 'double'; then, that must mean the next gas/electric bill is going to cost: £800.00+! I may be forced to change from using a normal 'credit' gas/electric meter upstairs...to having them install both a PAYG gas/electric meter, instead. Only trouble there is, I've heard it said that PAYG rates is even more 'expensive'...than is running a normal gas/electric meter...?! The only good thing about PAYG...is, at least, there are very few surprises...frankly, you can only use whatever gas/electricity you've already gone and paid for; the big drawback being...if there's no money left pay into the meter...then, you get 'no gas/no electricity'...; whilst the monthly 'standing charge' to have a meter still keeps on running up and up...! If it helped to install PAYG electric/gas meters upstairs; then, I already would have...in order to stop costs running up; but, the whole idea...of not having any funds available to feed into the meter...would mean no electicity upstairs...meaning, no TV/no computer; and, with no gas downstairs...I would have to eat food utterly freezing cold. Those thoughts do, seriously, 'scare' me...into NOT wanting to go make the switch. On the other hand, I also recognise that if I don't make the switch, right now; then, whenever the £800.00+ bill comes in...; I will have no other choice but to switch, then. ----- HOUSE PROBLEMS When one adds on top of all this financial stress...; is the house, desperately, needs to be fixed...as there are leaks on every floor; I have go place down buckets to catch up all the rain that's keeps constantly pouring in...sometimes, for all of 24 hours; and, then, constantly 'empty' the buckets/as the rain re-fills it back, again and again; but, I have no money to set up whole house scaffolding/and, to be able to mend the roof in multiple different places; which, I'm sure, is going to cost £1000's no less...?! The central heating don't work...another thing needing to be fixed/old boiler needs replacing with a new one; and, it's winter time...so, the place is utterly freezing cold/as well as, having multiple leaks. I have to walk around with a 'hot water' bottle. And, there are so many other repairs that needs doing, as well. It all adds up to problems being put on top of more problems...; and, endless worries on top of more worries. - etc.