Struggling Mum Lives on Just Tea to Keep Her Kids from Going Hungry
A struggling single mum has revealed she’s “getting by on cups of tea” so her children can eat, as she faces the devastating impact of yet another rise in energy bills.
Raegan Furness, 36, is a full-time carer to her two daughters, Amelia-Star, 12, who has ADHD, and Kacie-Rae, 8, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. She relies on universal credit and disability living allowance (DLA), but it’s nowhere near enough to cover food, bills, and travel.
With Ofgem announcing a 6.4% increase in the energy price cap, meaning the average bill will rise by £111 a year, Raegan is terrified of what’s to come. She already owes £3,500 and says she’s been forced to choose between heating her home and feeding her children—something that will now only get worse.
“I’m having to choose between heating and eating – the government needs to know it’s literally life-or-death,” she said. “I’m a single parent, I don’t know how I’m going to keep getting through this.” Debt collectors have already come to her door for unpaid gas and electricity bills, and she often sits in the cold to keep costs down.
Even with the help of food banks, Raegan still struggles to keep her energy bills paid on time. She feels trapped, unable to just “go to work and pay it off” because she has a disabled child who needs round-the-clock care.
“I s** myself every time I see a bill increase in the news – I worry for my children,”* she admitted. “I’m too embarrassed to ask anyone for help – my parents sometimes lend me money, but they’re elderly and struggling with their own energy bills.”
For Raegan, the rising cost of energy isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a serious risk to her daughter’s life. She relies on gas and electricity to power Kacie-Rae’s medical equipment, including a suction machine that stops her from choking. The price cap increase, she says, could put her daughter’s health in danger.
“My daughters get as much food as they can have – but I’m getting by on cups of tea,” she revealed. “I worry I’m going to get into trouble because my kids aren’t warm all the time.”
Like many families, Raegan is now bracing herself for an even tougher year ahead. As living costs continue to soar, she fears she’ll have to make more impossible choices just to keep her children safe.
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