Kathleen Moore was not entitled to benefits and tried everything to raise the extra money
A daughter is fighting for more financial support after her mum’s money worries drove her to take her own life. Kathleen Moore, 60, had spent the last four years struggling to make her mortgage payments after they shot up by £600-a-month due to rising interest rates on her interest only loan.
The mum-of-two had osteoporosis which hindered how much she could work as a dog sitter – and she was too young to retire and receive her pension. Daughter Amy Evans, 37, said her mum was trying to work at least 30 hours a month. She rented out rooms in her home when she could to try and make the mortgage payments but still had to depend on foodbanks at times.
Amy said her mum would often talk about was her money problems but didn’t let on how bad it was. Kathleen applied for personal independence payment (PIP) and universal credit but was told she didn’t meet the criteria – due to her age and because she had a mortgage.
Amy was “devastated” when she got the call to say her mum had taken her own life in August 2024. Now the stay-at-home-mum is petitioning to see more financial and mental health support for those over 60 – including a review into the eligibility criteria for Universal Credit and PIP.
Amy, a cleaner, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, said: “She’d talk about money so much. It consumed her – the worry – for such a resilient person. She wasn’t entitled to universal credit because she had a mortgage. She wasn’t poorly enough for PIP.
“Everywhere she turned there were no answers. If someone had helped – she’d still be here.”
Amy said she noticed her mum started stressing about money after becoming single four years ago. She said: “She was with her partner for 10 years and they went their separate ways. It made it difficult for my mum financially.
“The interest rates went up. I think her mortgage went up from £100 to £600-a-month.”
Kathleen could only work so much due to her health and became so desperate she tried to apply for financial support from the government but didn’t meet the criteria. She also rented rooms in her home out – but Amy says she had renters disappear without paying.
Amy offered for her mum to stay with her if she needed to but Kathleen was “proud” and wanted to stay in her own home. Amy said: “It took its toll on her. It took a lot for her to ask for help – I think she was ashamed.”
The family still didn’t realise quite how bad things had got and said she always seemed to “have a dip but get back on her feet”.
Amy got a call on August 13, 2024, to tell her her mum had taken her own life. Kathleen was on life-support for two days before passing away on August 15, 2024. It was only after her death that Amy realised the severity of her money worries.
She said: “It wasn’t really until she’d gone that we looked at all the paperwork and saw how desperate she’d become. She could never really make ends meet. She got desperate and bought into loan sharks. She was so worried all the time about having a roof over her head.”
Now Amy wants to see a change in the support those over 60 can access. She wants to see a review into the eligibility criteria for universal credit and personal independence payment (PIP) to ensure individuals aged 60 and over who are self-employed, carers, or single without dependents are no longer “unfairly” excluded from vital financial support.
She also wants to see a dedicated mental health counselling service for those aged 60 and over. Amy said: “She needed a financial solution. Someone to talk to could have changed what she was planning.”
Amy and her family will fondly remember their mum. She said: “She was the life and soul of most parties when she was younger.
“She was very resilient. I hope the petition will save someone else.”
Support Amy’s petition here – https://www.change.org/p/improve-financial-support-and-mental-health-access-for-people-over-60
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Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone. Call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org for more information
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