A council tenant all his life, he privately rented a small bungalow near Newton Abbot, where he could just about afford to live comfortably alone after the death of his partner.
When his rent was raised sharply twice, however, it reached £1,100 a month - more than his entire state pension. He was left with £200 a month from his private pension to cover food, clothing and everything else. The removal this year of his winter fuel payment has tipped a challenging existence into a thoroughly dispiriting one.
"It sounds a bit sad, and it probably is - but it's like the joy went out of my life," said 68-year-old Anderson. "I used to enjoy going to the pub, having a few drinks. I used to take my mother out for a coffee and a scone in the local department store once a week. I can't do any of those things now. It's just a question of feeding yourself and keeping yourself warm in the best way that you can."
This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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