At 73, my week on the state pension from one meal a day to doing my own dentistry

Inside the pensions crisis

Retirement feels more uncertain than ever, with nearly six in 10 adults unsure if they have enough time to save for a pension. Successive governments have struggled to address the issue. So, how did we get here, and what can be done to fix it? The i Paper brings you the essential stories on what went wrong with pensions, along with expert insights into the policies and solutions that could help secure your financial future.

Read more: Triple lock state pension is broken – here’s how to fix it | Teachers blocked from swapping big pensions for higher wages | I’m famous and I’ll never be able to afford to retire | How much you need to save each decade of your life to have a £1m pension pot | Why the state pension triple lock is closer to being axed than you think | ‘I’ll never be able to retire’: The 45 to 60-year-olds with no pensions

Muriel Westworth, 73, of Preston, Lancashire, worked since she was 15 but never had a private pension. Now, her and her husband face a monthly battle to make ends meet.

In The i Paper, she shares a daily diary of her life and thoughts as she battles health issues and surviving the cost of living crisis.

When you’re young, you think you’re invincible and don’t think about the future. I never thought I’d end up like this.

I’ve been married to my husband Gordon for 37 years. I’ve got two sons Sean, 53 and Wayne, 48 and they are my world. I’ve got 10 grandchildren. Sean has three children and Wayne has seven. I’ve also got three great-grandchildren.

I’m lucky because I have a lovely family who are very supportive. Without them, I’d be stuck inside the house most of the time, as my health is letting me down, and I have very limited mobility.

I’ve worked all my life since the age of 15. I would still be working now if I wasn’t in so much pain.

I have arthritis and lymphedema in my legs. I also have fibromyalgia and asthma. It is difficult to do anything physical, and I am on a lot of medication and painkillers.

I worked past retirement age until 67 because we needed the money. I liked being with people, so I really didn’t want to pack in work, but my health left me with no choice.

I get £1000 a month from the state pension and the personal independence payment (PIP) from the government.

Gordon is 10 years younger than me and will turn 63 in a couple of months. He works nights at Asda for 30 hours a week. If it wasn’t for Gordon still working and bringing in that extra money, we wouldn’t be able to survive.

MONDAY

Today, like most days, I haven’t done much. I got up, had my shower and did a bit of cleaning in the kitchen. But then I couldn’t stand up any longer because the pain was too much.

It is also horrible being old. In my mind, I’m still young, and I feel the same as I did when I was 25. It is just my body that is letting me down. When I think of all the things I did with my boys when they were younger, it makes me feel sad and angry that I can’t do that anymore.

My mobility is affected very badly, so I can’t do much at all. We live in a housing association home and they have been very good and have installed a stairlift for me so I can get upstairs.

I use a walking frame and have a wheelchair and also have an electric mobility scooter, but it is too big for the car so I only use that locally.

I don’t do very much during the day because I can’t. We have a car and I do drive, but I don’t go out and about much on my own. I can get somewhere in the car, but I can’t do anything when I get to the other side without support.

The reason Gordon works nights is so that I am not totally housebound while he’s at work and can have the car if I need it during the day. But Gordon has to sleep during the day – and it is lonely.

I like reading my magazines such as Take A Break, That’s Life and Chat and doing the puzzles in them. I spend most of my days doing these to pass the time. I like keeping my brain active.

The days can be long and boring when you’re a pensioner – and it’s even harder when you know you have to watch your pennies.

TUESDAY

Work has always been a big part of my life, I worked from the age of 15 and had all sorts of jobs in my life – but I don’t have any private pensions because of the kind of work I did.

I’ve worked as a screen printer, in supermarkets, done bar work, had my own cleaning business, done childminding, worked in a cash and carry and a warehouse – you name it, I’ve done it.

I always had a strong work ethic and I was a single mum for quite a few years after leaving my first husband, so I concentrated on my boys and got myself little jobs so they didn’t miss out.

I was working behind the bar at a Labour club when I met Gordon. He came in one day and had just got back from a holiday in Spain with his friend and was all nice and tanned. I looked at him and said, “I’m having that!” We have now been married for 37 years.

I worked until 67 and would still be working now, but my health has let me down. Gordon, being younger than me, has been a blessing as he has his health and can still go out to work. Gordon works nights at Asda for 30 hours a week.

We wouldn’t be able to survive financially without Gordon’s wages. It is already difficult enough with gas and electricity being so expensive. With my arthritis and lymphedema, I have to keep warm. We worry about putting the heating on.

Today, we went round to see Gordon’s mum, who is 87 and lives on her own. We had a brew with her, and I had a good natter. We get on really well, and she likes telling me about her life when she was younger.

We then went to The Food Warehouse, which is owned by Iceland. We go there on a Tuesday because they give a 10 per cent discount to people over the age of 60. It makes a real difference when you have to make your money last.

After we came home, Gordon went to bed before going to work and I sat doing my puzzles and reading my magazines.

I do wish I could still go out to work. Having the extra money would make life easier, but mainly because I like being with people.

It is hard when you’re older because you still want to do all the things you did when you were younger – but you can’t because your body won’t let you.

WEDNESDAY

I had a quiet morning, doing my puzzles to pass the time.

Gordon gets 10 per cent discount for working at Asda, and we go shopping there once a week and only buy what we need to avoid unnecessary spending or waste.

Gordon drove us today and I went round in one of the electric mobility scooters the supermarket has.

I always used to love cooking and felt a lot of pleasure seeing people enjoy and tuck into my food. I would make hearty and filling traditional Lancashire dishes such as hotpot with a crust on which my mum taught me to make, chicken and sausage casseroles and stew and dumplings.

But I can’t cook anymore because I can’t stand up long enough and my hands tend to cramp up.

Gordon does all the cooking when we have proper meals, and he does a great job. But I only eat one meal a day now. Today, I had a cottage pie. I used to have a good appetite, but that’s all I can stomach now, as I feel a lot of anxiety since I stopped working.

Even with me only eating one meal a day, food costs so much, you have to try to keep costs down – we very rarely get a takeaway, we can’t afford it.

We don’t really buy reduced food from supermarkets as I don’t want to risk getting ill. But we buy the own label stuff and the offers and multibuys.

We also never go out for meals. We used to go to the carvery, but it’s got so expensive now. It’s much cheaper to eat at home.

THURSDAY

I’ve got toothache, but I’m desperately trying to ignore it as I can’t afford to go to the dentist.

I have always looked after my teeth, but last year, my bottom teeth needed extracting, and the dentist wanted £400. I couldn’t afford that, so I eventually managed to pull them out myself.

Now, I’m getting toothache in my back teeth, but there’s no point going to the dentist as they’ll only want money to pull them out. I’m just taking paracetamol and the codeine prescribed for my arthritis to try to make the pain go away.

With your health, it always feels like there is something or other when you get to my age. I lost my balance and fell, and broke my arm last year. I tried to get up and realised I couldn’t move and was screaming with pain.

My husband and son, Wayne, phoned an ambulance and I was taken to hospital where they found I had broken my arm in two places.

Doctors said I was lucky I didn’t need an operation, but it makes me feel embarrassed that I have to rely on others. I’ve previously always been able to do things for myself.

Today, I’ve had another quiet day. I don’t watch television during the day as I don’t like daytime TV but I tape all the soaps and watch them after Gordon’s gone to work.

When you can’t get out and about yourself, it’s great to escape into other people’s lives in the soaps.

FRIDAY

I had a lovely day out with my friend Julie today as she came to see me and told me she was taking me out.

Gordon came too, and so did her husband, and we went to Blackpool for a walk. It was nice, but a bit chilly being near the sea.

Julie used to live next door, and we have been friends for nearly 40 years. It was lovely to see her and get some fresh air.

When we got there, Julie was hungry so we went to the Pound Bakery cafe and had meat and potato pie with chips and gravy. It was lovely – but that’s me done eating for the day now.

It’s nice to have unexpected days out like that. I love it, but I have to rely on others to take me as there is no way I could do anything like that on my own.

I can drive somewhere but I can’t do much the other end.

Sometimes, I get down in the dumps because I feel trapped by my poor health, so I just get in the car and drive around if I’m feeling really down.

SATURDAY

We don’t tend to do much on weekends as Gordon likes to chill after working during the week.

I usually see my son Sean on a Saturday as he either comes here to see me, or I go to his. Sean works as a senior engineer at the BBC in Manchester, so he does a lot of travelling in the week.

Sean took me for a drive. We put the world to rights, me and my boy. We talk about everything. I’m not really into politics, but Sean explains things I don’t understand. He is very clever. We just talk about everything that is going on.

Later on, we went to see Gordon’s mum as she’s not so well with her stomach. We took her to Sainsbury’s but I waited in the car as it’s too big for me to get around.

SUNDAY

My son Wayne came round to see me in the afternoon to give me a hug before he goes away.

Wayne is a roofer, and when he’s working locally, he comes round to see me most evenings and brings his youngest two children. But at the moment, he’s working away in Birmingham. I love seeing my boys and am so proud of both of them – they have always worked hard.

My grandson Brandon, who is 21, only lives around the corner. He is a security guard, and he does a lot for me, too. He always says: “If you need anything, nanna, just ring me”. If it wasn’t for my family, I would be stuck inside the house more than I am.

Gordon made us a nice tea tonight. We had bangers and mash with fried eggs and beans. It was delicious and a real highlight.

We very rarely go on days out. We never have anything left at the end of the month and have to be very careful with our spending and go without things we can’t afford.

Gordon has to put a bit aside for things like car tyres and the MOT. We haven’t been abroad for at least 10 years and we don’t have any luxuries.