Disabled Leeds man with 'bedridden' wife 'can't cope' amid cost of living crisis
A former postie who now finds it difficult to walk after 20 years in the job, and has a severely disabled 'bedridden' wife, says he "can't cope" as the cost of living crisis rages on.
Dad-of-two David Yates, 55, says he’s stuck in a ‘vicious cycle’ while attempting to give the best care possible to his wife while they receive Universal Credit. He’s said having to cut back on everything in their lives has sapped the joy from his life, and he’s now having to take medication to combat his depression.
Currently four in ten energy bill payers are struggling to afford payments, according to the Office for National Statistics. Its survey also revealed that 44 per cent of adults are cutting back on energy consumption because of the rising cost of living.
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The Seacroft dad stresses that his family aren’t ‘spongers’ with two of his children currently enrolled in university. He had to stop working as a postman 15 years ago - after 20 years of service - to support and help look after his wife. Plus, he needs a cane to walk, having had an operation for a lump at the bottom of his spine and suffering arthritis in his leg.
David said: “I’ve just been to the doctors two weeks ago and they’ve put me on some depression tablets because I can’t cope with all this.
"It’s just like a block, I don’t want to get up in the morning or go out. I don’t want to do anything because I can’t afford anything. It’s a vicious cycle. It gets you down. I’ve got my wife saying I want to go out and do that – but I can’t do them things. We used to go out all the time.”
Chris has had to cut back on their energy consumption, takeaways, Sky TV and a range of other subscriptions, and trips to the coast. “The things you had taken for granted,” comments the 55-year old.
“I know we’re on benefits but we can’t help it. We’re not spongers, my wife is in a wheelchair, she’s bedridden. We can’t physically go out to work.”
The Trussell Trust, which provides foodbanks across the country, has said 36,000 emergency food parcels were distributed in Leeds last year alone, with more than a third of these for children.
On the lengths they go to cut back on food, David explained: “My daughter goes to Lidl, before she goes to university on the morning when she’s at home, and looks for the reduced meats and stuff like that as we can’t afford all the cheaper brands. End of day, you get what you for, if you’re buying a chicken at £2, you get what you expect.”
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by seven per cent in the year to January 2024, according to the Consumer Prices Index. This is lower than peak prices in March last year, which saw the inflation rise to 19.2 per cent – the highest annual rate seen for 45 years.
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