Britain's Forgotten Pensioners | Dispatches | Channel 4 Documentaries

[Music] foreign [Music] [Music] Mills can't afford to eat every day [Music] we already wants to die I've lost eight stone in the Years it costs more because I don't put the heating on I die I just exist I don't live not really that's no relief the stair pinch is not much for the starch pennies isn't it you expect you to live on that [Music] foreign [Music] Foster 76 now I've been Emmanuel working all my life working on the buildings shipyards [Music] I've been in this house since I was 19. it's 57 year I'm still here there's all the rest of my family's gone use their five dogs one outside all station in a kennel for Yorkshire Terriers in the house uh 30 pigeons in the pigeon Loft and we also had a part in the house or Imam bought I've got no family and I've never been married was never married no kids sister the same that was taken at school at the Manchester is this as if it was yesterday it kind of believed to all this all this time you know once you lose if you lose all of them and you're completely on your own it's just a nightmare I can't believe I'm the last one here taxes on getting your head around it you just kind of do you kind of work it out do you ever feel sad you should say do you ever feel happy because you're on sad all the time I mean mum when you've got any family you you worry aren't you you've got to be careful in the old years you just put your heating on and you forget about it you know if you're worried about the cost all the time leaves me fridge Switched Off I've cleaned it out look spotless my sister used to drink bottles of cork like that see that's the last one she ever had look and I won't I can't part with it that fridge has not been on since there's one of this electricity has gone up in the across the living I have another one I've stopped eating the yogurts and a bottle of milk while you sell in the fridge I'll put it on the back step about to keep it cold because it is the Ecstasy in that sky eye isn't it I'll just be paying standing charges because I'm not using any electricity or anything that these lights is never on the night but I'm just talking out that's just the way I am yeah it comes straight on these bottles calorie gas bottles they've gone up about 10 pounds since last year let's hear that if you use it like one bar like I'm using it now usually lasts four weeks but this is I mean the fifth week now so well there can't be much left exciting this and that exciting lifestyle yeah all right but there's nobody in house I'm buying completely on my own now they didn't even go any relations anywhere out there foreign [Music] [Music] how can we help you today we're struggling Molly was struggling with hating it's not enough we only twice the diet they have lost eight stone in the Years anymore there really isn't [Music] it lovely [Music] vegetable Amanda I'm darling I'm 68 years old I've lived in this flat for 38 years we know each other I was a cleaner when I was working very low PhD obviously he's probably reflecting me pension today 700 pounds a month every four weeks three weeks out of every fall I've got I can manage the last week before I get paid again I've got nothing not a penny you think you're rich because you get 700 pound a month but you're not you're not the price of sugar has gone up it used to be 60p for a two pound bag of sugar now it's an 80P battery for me radio there's 299 for four you should sell them in six packs you're paying the same for less batteries for a start off you try to save on your heating or winter obviously it costs more more and more and more well hello hello are you all right I'm fine yeah yeah I had a good weekend this one oh yes I did I'll pay for my gas electric on a papering card I bought the post office every week I paid 40 pounds on the gas yesterday and 30 pounds on me electric that was 70 pounds from 150 I took over the bank no that's gonna last me shouldn't last me till next Monday [Music] as soon as it's cost of living places comment effect the amount of money I kept now it's just not enough telephone it's just not enough to live a decent enough life I do worry a lot like in worrying doesn't help my friend told me that William doesn't help much sold I mean I'm using more gas and electric now and whatever you still before but one time I never used to think about when I just used to save trying to save what I could but now it's just a worry and you've got to pay for it would probably be paying all your hair on some Ibis you know I'm sure I will no chance of save enough none whatsoever it's impossible I wish I could see a little bit work hard this doesn't work I tried to be careful I'll try but this is not as long as it's gone on the worst it seems to get [Music] it about three hours I tried to keep it off as long as possible because of the cause and I mean this room is a big room the Heat and it was a bit heat to the door now that door's not very peaceful I can feel the doctor stand on the carpet and you feed a draft I just never talk anymore you're putting the heat on for the brakes haven't got it for free if they're hiring for free I have it on all day but you've got to pay for it and the money's got to come from somewhere otherwise if you don't pay it you'll come and cut you off that's what they do I do go to bed earlier I've got bad about eight o'clock sometimes after seven just get warm that way listen to me angel company get no business betting sitting up and being a bit cold and watching TV or a DVD at the moment like you know small comes up in bed with a bottle lovely I could do it now reheating doesn't seem to keep me as warm is what the hot water bottle does I put on my stomach and it gets warm all over and it's cold here and I can sleep better because you know you can't sleep when you're cold if I can't afford me heating I've had it simple as that I just stay cold [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] 59 years come March you get this before murder [Music] it's too cold outside the army my husband was stationed in Germany I was stationed in pottington in gloucestershire at the time started as pen friends then Mets and married quite quickly little off at first sight which marriageable three weeks later yeah we are still together I can't imagine life without him it's him I'm cleanly what about his health because I don't think we're we're keeping warm enough we don't have the heating on all day like we should do oh I should have the heating on all day out here because I've got a minor heart condition leaking valves and they would recommended you should give the temperature at least 19. 15 and 12. it's got both starts in between it's very it's a very difficult Bungalow to to hate um on a concrete platform and we've got Metal Frames in every door frame is metal and that doesn't help it takes about a third of more than a normal long enough to eat so you've got cut costs somewhere because of the cost of living I don't bake anymore I don't cook as healthier meals as I used to cook I don't think you should love Christine's food she was a very good cook we used to have a Provost three times a week and I miss cooking I used to enjoy I used to love cooking I always always cooked Sun's joint did I always have done much in my life don't do that anymore um because it's too expensive electricity prices it's just horrendous thank you my dear things but why should energy companies be making all this horrendous profits to their shareholders when dealed me deeply suffering it's not like this there's something wrong somewhere I can't see our sons as much as we'd like to because of the the cost effectual cut back on Mills this will be my dinner for today won't be easy tonight can't afford to eat every day foreign [Music] Bridge online they ask you where do you live and I'll put them in the village of the Dead they said don't don't me now I said yes there's nothing here at all when we moved here there were two pubs a shop and a community center puff closed down nearly five years ago now this is pretty it's been empty now for 2018. it's a Pity like it's a good price of other drinking and they're very good meals in here we lost we lost that shot that's closed down so everyone is shopping you get on the bus go down there's a convenience store two miles down the road oh you got Littles which is about turning off miles down the road but if you haven't got a car and you've got loads of shopping you probably have to get a taxi the taxi is not cheap nowadays it'll cost you 10 pounds just to go down there and 10 pounds to come back again and we've got the best service supposedly one an hour it hasn't been well enough since the beginning of covid um which makes life very very difficult if you don't drive they're talking about taking the buses away from us so it will be isolated [Music] I look at how much water I'll point in there that's a save energy another thing is saving money I recycled tea bag it's been used once so to find a way put it back in the cup that's another cup of tea [Music] foreign Ty unfinished bowls there because I can't afford to run it all this timber here it's all ready to be done but it cost me an arm and later to turn it could never make another Bowl again does that bother you yeah they jumped up on me excuse me I'll try to make it light a bit but it's something I've done for years I can't do it anymore now they're just about thought but then I think well I'm I'll be 83 this year how long will go is it easy to look forward to [Music] this alone some days I never even get a chance to speak to anybody but we live downstairs in one room stay in the house all day every day to try and cut down on okay when we were younger sharing a bath was fun cheering about now isn't it [Music] what is it Tom and Jerry the commentary collection on honest sideboard here and on it here you can see Tom Jerry Spike I got these money boxes today as well that one and then there's this one which one here which was a nice one nothing in there now get these in all all these same ultimate remarks that's where they all come from maybe I shouldn't buy Tom and Jerry stuff maybe that would help but I don't think so I've got to have them you've got everybody's got to have some interest no matter what it is suppose I'm trying to recapture use it was just so empty sure lost I'm a childhood I will trust it out when I was six months old before the father died when I was four years old so it was just mainly for some other Army life until I was about 20. I love this instead of the air Tom and Jerry then because the correct them as well just your favorite [Music] Courtney's 40. coffee for yourself yes aren't you yes not you I have yet I regret me for someone I'm not telling me things I should know she's never used to ask me if I have a good deal or anything but she didn't love it you know did she really want me nothing right no love soon enough I don't know what I mean the word love is I wouldn't know how to love somebody other people got families friends grandmothers granddads I didn't have none of that I was always stuck on my own I always took a million I couldn't make French too easily you know I was very shy very very shy when I was younger I love coming here nice scenery it's lovely and I like to see if people walk with their dogs I like to see the fish they don't see the balls come in and go out I can see that from the house say but when I'm standing here I can get even closer you know shoot more magical I'm always alone walking on the beach and back again yeah if I could change anything about my life at the moment I think I would like a bit more company this is what I am lacking more people to speak to talk to share their interests their share main that would be nice I think you know I could make friends if I went out more it all comes down the money money money it always had Moody always has a factor yes you got nothing you can't go very far you got money it's a warbest further further afield and you just can't do it at the moment with the cost of living enough [Music] I like to go to see the wood four years four years Tuesday and a Friday good morning is a community center sort things out to try to help me get more benefits see if you're coping already next amongst people apart from that you know very a lonely life isolated [Music] I've literally you're 35 here in all that shame I've only had two people knock at my door fragrance not that I know what certainly confinement is but it just feels just a lack of somebody to talk to I like to smoke with a cup of tea yeah the only thing I do okay keep I'll pay if I'd probably you know not 12 pounds five pound ain't even asked a lot of money it would be a longer day than what it is now a woman smokes along I've been smokeless since I was 17 and I'm 68 now so there you go I'll give up for the phone anyways she wears shortly to be nice I know I know the tally is snuggle for your house I know all the pros and cons but I still can't keep them up it's life a cup of tea smoke can't change it especially at the start that's not the start you coming you shut the door you're on your own you've got your radio for company you're crazy when there's something wrong like okay you just somebody was staring at the space all the time staring at the space right you can be lonely lonely life yeah another nail in the coffin I'll tell you I don't like your dog artificial just seems to get cold at it this time of year when it's going to get stuck just seems to be colder it's out of here it's not a fair loneliness no one to talk to no one to pass a remote control [Music] thank you someone recommended partying Action Group to me so I've been going down there to see Karen John Harren nice to meet you we are now like a community hope so offering a range of services for anybody in the community we find that a lot of older people are not claiming the benefits that they're entitled to and that could be attendance allowance pip uh disability premiums pension credits so we'll make an appointment we'll come in we'll get you to fill out the form with an advisor and then we'll send it off and see if we can get your attendance allowance which will help you hopefully improve your income I've never heard it remember 10 phones before so attendance allowance is a benefit if you over the pensionable age and you've got an illness or a disability which affects your daily living so you have and you should be getting this money so we will help you fill it in and make sure that you're answering everything correctly and then hopefully get that for you and get that as a form of income for you as well now the cost of living crisis has came we've seen people who were trying to struggle by with the money that they've got and with the resources that they've got so we try to have a look at how we can maximize their income hi John want your seat cool we can go through obviously um the different benefits and what those benefits then passport you want to one benefit um triggers all the benefits on top of what you got on your attendance allowance right and there's royalty people yeah that's the difference entertainment hasn't got a clue yeah yeah same as me yeah you're gonna be better off um you know basically 131 pound and 25 pencil weights [Music] three times I nearly tore it up where I'm getting a lot more money now than what I did and I've been educated before qualifier I have no idea I know that there's lots of information online but we all know all the people who don't go online in John's case if somebody is sad when his sister had passed and he was on his own and asked him what was going on then that would have highlighted that I needed some additional support and nobody gets or whose responsibility is it and and how are we going to solve it I mean I think it's shocking that we've got a 76 year old man who could have been getting an additional benefit for 10 years and nobody picked it up [Music] we sometimes go on home visits to the client's house we need to know what they have in their house or have they got the right equipment have the you know is there any other needs that they might have so we just would like to get the full picture in the kitchen the kitchen cupboards have you got things like um spaces salt pepper anything like that can we have a look let's go and have a look and see what you need and then we can make a little bit of a list about maybe what year what you could do right stay in the fridge nice and clean well security no no but you know now John you all know that you've actually got the money so you can go shopping so you've got the money to put on your fridge you've got the money to go shopping we can get your veg in we can get you some fruit and veggie and we can get you some meat anything you want and you've got the money to buy that so you don't need to rely on food banks or anything because you've got your benefit sorted I'm worried about using the gas electric heating in it because they're not sure where the money I've got coming in will cover it kind of just gone tough and I just spent everything they've got no left it's common sense 76 76 76 right you should be sitting in your own house nice and warm watching you Telly having a bath having something to eat when you want nice clean fresh claws nice clean fresh towels that's what you should be and you can't afford it now so that's what you're going to do pensioners they have always been a little bit more worried about where money goes right say tomorrow right you're off yet nice and early yeah you're making it even if you've got money you don't want to spend it because you don't know what's around the corner it's a very precarious situation in the country at the minute and I can understand why people don't want to spend don't want to do anything because they don't know what's coming next it's unsure John story it's a daily thing for us and everybody probably around the country [Music] don't import two days thinking in the cold yeah it's falling out crying every day to film it all but related foreign I used to go like four or five times that's three people that he's the one first one that died he died four days before his 41st birthday use the miner every mom and dad died within 27 hours of each other she was three in there not one of his sister she died there five years I'm going in there when it's my turn just come here and check the graves is all right that is there anybody eating no mess on the grill anything lying about to pick it up any rubbish that's just what you do you wrote anybody knows the same thing okay when I on the bridge make sure everything's all right but once it falls over assembly the counselor says you're spending too much time over there that's not good for your head meant that it's not good metal has worse in any physical I think the thing I'm really saying at the minute is the high level of depression in all the people I went to one house lady had fun because she'd had like a little bit of an issue um without with that property and I went down and she said there is Karen I just want to walk down to the river and just keep on walking don't want to try it like I don't want to turn back and I was like no we'll get you sorted and she's like I've just had enough and that was really hard for us to hear that a lady in her 70s wanted to kill herself that's so bad before I go up to bed I put me here details helped me funeral arrangements last will and testament people in the foreign funeral plan or PS4 and you just want any numbers on there where I put down people are knowing that Funeral Directors whatever golden Charter all the telephone numbers was on there it's just when my sister died I started doing all this she just thought that I was sick yeah if anybody doing this and she was here Maria I've got a name for me they're all gone so there's nobody to do stuff like this maybe funeral arrangements and stuff like that so I've got to do it this way of course everything's there anybody comes in the house that's the first thing they're going to say before that number that number John Jay your funeral directors and they come out and everything's done isn't it yeah [Music] thank you I was very upset that I would have to stop turning to mobile turning so I decided I was made by changing my energy supplier I could afford to do a little bit turning now and again I looked at another one on the internet that was off in a better price by changing my identity supplier I could afford to do a little bits only now and again but not full time not all I used to do gotta watch how much I use when I'm returning I'm oblivious to what's happening elsewhere I'm just concentrating on turning out a decent piece of work better in my mind now more settled now so I won't have to give it up completely [Music] I fell over in the garden caught my head on Sunday and then he's a potato and eat for two hours which was quite good really it's three years two in just over two hours these things happen as you get older you know you I was more more worried about going to hospital and them keeping me in and then Harry being on his own yeah but um I didn't really want to go to the hospital but I'm glad I did Harry's just told me I'm not allowed to go into town on my own anymore because he's frightened of me falling in town if I can't go into town on my own anymore it is taken away that little bit of Independence that I had the situation is worse now than it was I definitely feel more isolated than I did hey look at it about today on my six years to today since my sister died and I'm going to put some flowers on uh for the six year anniversary to name on the message it was yeah next year seven year yeah even after me that's me routine that's what I do I dementia physically sorry it's just when your every end's not working are you good is it it wasn't like the same person anymore totally different changed completely didn't even know who I was I wish there were age one I can't believe it you know I'd be worried about the cost all the time when your energy is going up that's going to go up again I'll go up in April they're expecting a letter anytime what I'm doing though I didn't put anything on and I'll not change I'll just leave it like that writing to put me hating on [Music] hello yeah [Music] I just saw pneumonia and I was taken into Hospital I've I didn't feel lately I knew I was I knew there was something wrong but exactly what I didn't know and then I'm just gonna get a signature okay just to see after your things I got I went to the hospital no time say General the center had a bit of a cold which was leading to pneumonia so I found myself in the hospital for four years it was a little bit was called thankfully today I got discharge okay well take care how are you yeah you're welcome no problem at all thanks very much okay bye for now bye for now where's the cook from the cold if I choose it they're eating it costs more because I don't put the heating on diet what do you do what did you do you have to make decisions which is the right one you make I've made sure I put the heating on I'm not having this again I'm not going to hospital again no way no no I like people to understand more to understand more but it won't be I don't think it will be [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] it's very Bleak the future very bleak if it continues like this I can't say improve any [Music]

Channel: Channel 4 Documentaries

Views: 807,777

Keywords: Channel 4, Channel 4 Documentary, Documentary, dispatches, britain's forgotten pensioners, c4, channel 4 news, channel 4 documentary 2023, documentary 2023, cost of living, cost of living crisis, full episode, full documentary, debt documentary, job centre, uk political documentary, cost of living crisis uk 2023, pensioners, poor pensioners, poor, broke, cost of living crisis uk, britain economy, economic crash, poverty, uk poverty, poverty documentary, truth, real story, economy, uk

Id: btAffz83MB4

Length: 47min 1sec (2821 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 08 2023