For six years, Anne cared for her husband day and night. When he passed away, the role that dictated her everyday life disappeared, and with it went the income she relied on. 

Anne never imagined she would struggle to keep her home warm. She had worked all her life before becoming a carer for her husband. 

When he died in late 2024, living in their house in Aberdeenshire became colder and harder to face. The days that followed were filled with grief, exhaustion and a constant worry about money. Carer’s Allowance stopped right away and she was left with only standard Universal Credit and a small private pension. That income didn’t cover her bills, especially through winter, and she had begun relying on her sibling – whose own only income was a state pension – to get by.  

With her mobility getting worse and her mental health deteriorating, she found herself selling some of her husband’s belongings to pay for food and heating. It caused distress and guilt she struggled to talk about. 

“I was still very much grieving from the passing of my husband and my mental health was not good at all,” Anne said. “I could literally not see a way forward after six years of looking after my husband 24 hours a day.” 

fuel poverty: a wider issue across Scotland 

Her situation reflects what many people in Scotland are living through. Rising bills, low incomes and rural heating costs mean households are struggling to stay warm. By the end of 2025, around 830,000 households – one in three – are expected to be in fuel poverty, with 17% in extreme fuel poverty. Rural areas like Aberdeenshire are hit hardest, with almost a third of remote rural households affected. 

Anne’s position was made even harder by years of caring for her husband, which had already stretched her finances long before she faced fuel poverty alone. The State of Caring 2025 report shows that 48% of unpaid carers have cut back on essentials like food and heating just to get by and 34% report bad or very bad mental health during these periods of pressure. 

People with mobility issues, long-term conditions or poor mental health are especially vulnerable. They often spend more time at home, need higher indoor temperatures and face extra barriers when getting help. For Anne, none of this was obvious at the time. She just knew the house was cold, she couldn’t keep up with bills and things were getting worse. 

finding the National Advice and Support Service 

Anne was referred to Change Mental Health’s National Advice and Support Service by partner organisation SCARF. At that point, she had already tried to apply for UC50 and Adult Disability Payment (ADP) on her own. Both had been rejected. 

“I had previously filled out forms for UC50 disability payments and also the Adult Disability Payment form and was rejected by both,” she said. “These were done literally weeks following his passing and with no assistance.” 

When she first spoke to Change Mental Health’s Advice and Support Officer, Neil Walker, she was exhausted. Her mobility issues had worsened and she was struggling simply to keep her home warm and buy essentials. 

Neil helped her understand each form and decision clearly, taking things one step at a time. He supported her to reapply for a redetermination on both her UC50 and ADP applications. He contacted charities on her behalf for foodbank deliveries when she was unable to leave the house and helped her apply for a crisis loan when her bank balance was empty. 

“Neil helped me with his logical thinking instead of my muddled head,” she said. “When I was virtually without a penny in the bank, he assisted in applying for a crisis loan for me. Without Neil, I didn’t even know these existed.” 

He also encouraged her to keep pushing for an in-person GP appointment. When she was finally seen, her GP discovered her medical records had not been updated for three years. That could also be the reason why her DWP and Social Security Scotland applications were declined. Once corrected, she began proper follow-up treatment for mobility issues, mental health, malnutrition and general health concerns. 

He remained in regular contact, responding quickly when letters arrived or when she was unsure about what to do next. 

“He is always at the other end of an email, even if it is outside our call time, and I can ask him for advice on anything I’m not sure of. He truly is a special, caring, logical person and has been my rock.”

Anne’s benefit decisions are still pending, but her day-to-day life has changed. She has food in the house, her home is warmer and she is receiving ongoing medical treatment. Most importantly, she is starting to grieve properly for her husband and is living with more stability than she had at the start of the year. She is not trying to work everything out by herself.