Mum, 60, ‘took her own life after mortgage rose by £500-a-month and benefits plea was rejected’
A MUM took her own life after her mortgage rose by £500-a-month and her benefits plea was rejected, her devastated daughter says.
Kathleen Moore, 60, spent four years struggling to make ends meet due to soaring interest rates on her mortgage.
She was forced to rely on foodbanks and even rented out rooms in her home to help with her finances.
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.
As a result, the mum-of-two had to work at least 30 hours a month as a dog sitter – despite suffering from osteoporosis.
Her daughter Amy Evans was left “devastated” when she got a call in August 2024 revealing her mum had taken her own life.
The 37-year-old, from Lowestoft in 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 she broke up with her partner four years ago.
The couple had been together for ten years but after they went their separate ways, Kathleen’s mortgage rose to around £600-a-month.
Due to her health issues, Kathleen was only able to work so many hours a week and became so desperate she applied for benefits.
Amy said: “It took its toll on her.
“It took a lot for her to ask for help – I think she was ashamed.”
Tragically, the family did not realise how bad things had got as Kathleen would always appear to “get back on her feet”.
On August 13, 2024, Amy was told her mum had attempted to take her own life and was in hospital.
Kathleen passed away two days later after the family made the agonising decision to switch her life support off.
Amy 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.”
Amy is now fighting to change support for those aged over 60 to prevent any further tragedies.
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123
She wants to see a review into the eligibility criteria for Universal Credit and 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.
Amy also wants to see a dedicated mental health counselling service for those aged 60 and over.
She has launched a petition in a bid to help others and believes if Kathleen had spoken to someone, she would still be here.
Paying tribute to her mum, Amy said: “She was the life and soul of most parties when she was younger.
“I hope the petition will save someone else.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.