A heartbroken mum has been forced to tell her 10-year-old son that she won’t be able to afford any Christmas presents this year due to the cost of living crisis.
Christine Borton, 48, was crushed when she had to tell her young son Dayjanta Samuels not to expect any presents on Christmas Day.
She said the lad already knew and wasn’t shocked as he was aware of the family’s desperate financial situation.
The single mum of three has been struggling to pay the bills since she was left unemployed due to medical reasons and lost her position as a support worker last year.
She’s been forced to survive on food banks and Universal Credit monthly handouts since April but said that it doesn’t cover her monthly bills.
Now Christine is facing further winter hardship as the cost of living crisis ramps up fuel and electric bills, leaving her short on cash.
The mum has chosen to sidestep buying gifts so she and her son can make it through the winter months.
Christine, who has two grown-up children and lives with Dayjanta in Wednesbury, West Midlands, said that life was difficult right now, and that she was unable to cover all her outgoings, and that she couldn’t cover her basic needs never mind presents.
She said that she told her son about four weeks ago. She told him there wouldn’t be any gifts and it broke her heart. She said he’d been looking forward to a Christmas present but he now realises it won’t happen, and she believes that he already knew, so wasn’t shocked.
She added that she’s extremely worried about the next few months and that her son keeps looking at the electric meter and keeps telling her how much they’ve used and that he’s obsessed about their finances all the time.
She said that a 10-year-old shouldn’t have to worry about that.
Christine, who is trying to get back into work, has now called on the government to better support struggling families during the winter, and she added that the only plan she has is to get a job, but she’s tried.
She said her bills are almost £1,200 and her Universal Credit doesn’t cover that. She said she’s not been shopping since January, and her freezer is empty.
She continued that she doesn’t think that the government actually cares. They have given a bit of money to help with energy, but what about gas? What about food?
It’s extremely sad what’s happening in this country right now, but splashing it all over the national newspaper isn’t going to help the poor boy. He will be a target for bullies and ridiculed. Many are in the same position this year.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 