Heather storyline on EastEnders

[xolily]

it was hard viewing and i do wonder how people are ending up living like that? i thought benefits were there to ensure you could feed/clothe your family and afford bills how does it end up that people can't afford the bare necessities?

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

What I don't understand is, she would receive child benefit, tax credits as she's working and I would of thought an allowance towards housing and council tax. I'm finding it slightly unrealistic, it would be a struggle but she wouldn't be left to starve.

I agree with this totally, in fact my OH even lifted his head from watching football on the laptop to say the same.
I felt physically sick when she left him and sat there watching worried and then at the end with the carbon monoxide poisoning.... I now want a C.M alarm, does anyone know if the fire brigade fit them as well like smoke alarms??

 

[Torz]

it was hard viewing and i do wonder how people are ending up living like that? i thought benefits were there to ensure you could feed/clothe your family and afford bills how does it end up that people can't afford the bare necessities?

unfortunatly it does, its been on the news alot today how much the cost of living has risen but wages have not. i really dont know how people in london cope with the cost of living.

 

[smokey]

What will happen to Geoerge now though, its not like Darren can look after him so he will probably get stuck with Shirley (not like shes capable) for those of you saying hope it turns out ok, you do relaise what was happening at the end of the eppisod dont you?

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/carbonmonoxide1.shtml

 

[Red Rose]

[rant]
I dare say there are women out there in the UK who are going through the same situation right now. The thought leaves me physically sick. Before having LO, the episode would have no doubt made me feel sad, but tonight I felt awful & angry!

We all have our pride but that should go the minute LO starts to go without. When Heather used that £20 to buy a box of chocolates for Dot, I just thought "what an idiot!". I know she was being selfless, but why not be selfless for your LO?

Made me really appreciate that we are able to give our LO a warm house with everything she needs.

Just got to remember its just a storyline, but after baby swap saga you would have thought Eastenders had annoyed mothers enough for a while...
[/rant]

 

[xolily]

it was hard viewing and i do wonder how people are ending up living like that? i thought benefits were there to ensure you could feed/clothe your family and afford bills how does it end up that people can't afford the bare necessities?

unfortunatly it does, its been on the news alot today how much the cost of living has risen but wages have not. i really dont know how people in london cope with the cost of living.

i understand that but surely housing benefit etc is proportionate to rent etc down there? like up here we get a maximum of £85pw i think it is.. but that's cos you can rent a 2 up 2 down for £350-£400.. xx

 

[smokey]

[rant]
I dare say there are women out there in the UK who are going through the same situation right now. The thought leaves me physically sick. Before having LO, the episode would have no doubt made me feel sad, but tonight I felt awful & angry!

We all have our pride but that should go the minute LO starts to go without. When Heather used that £20 to buy a box of chocolates for Dot, I just thought "what an idiot!". I know she was being selfless, but why not be selfless for your LO?Made me really appreciate that we are able to give our LO a warm house with everything she needs.

Just got to remember its just a storyline, but after baby swap saga you would have thought Eastenders had annoyed mothers enough for a while...
[/rant]

I started shouting at the tv at that point, even when she put the money back in the till, ffs it was a generous thing swallow your pride take it and feed your baby.

 

[aliss]

Don't watch this show (not in the UK) but here in Canada, about 40% of food bank clients are apparently under 10. I brought in tons of baby formula/baby food once and the women were shocked and thanking me so much. Apparently their most needed item. I drive by it daily and over half the lineup is women with young babies.

 

[leelee]

I had something like that when Jessica first came back from the hospital, there was no electric or gas it had run out while i was in the hosp, it was freezing when we bought her in and i cried my eyes out, actually considered giving her away because i felt so crap...I blame that on crazy post labour emotions Was all sorted within half an hour though lol.

When i was about 30 weeks pregnant we had a massive bill come through which we HAD to pay so i literally survived on cheap tins of beans for 2 weeks so now i always make sure there's at least 100 in the bank and i have 50 pounds in the house in spare change in a money pot for emergencies.

 

[leelee]

Well I viewed it that she was so stressed that she wasn't thinking straight and that's why she wasn't accepting money. I think the stress of the money situation has led her to have a bit of a breakdown and hence why she is so manic all the time and left George by himself.

Hardly the actions of someone thinking straight I would have thought.

 

[smokey]

Well she wont have to worry about pride now if im right about what happened at the end.

 

[FLUMPY1984]

Don't watch this show (not in the UK) but here in Canada, about 40% of food bank clients are apparently under 10. I brought in tons of baby formula/baby food once and the women were shocked and thanking me so much. Apparently their most needed item. I drive by it daily and over half the lineup is women with young babies.

What a great idea x

 

[leelee]

Well she wont have to worry about pride now if im right about what happened at the end.

I think she will survive.

 

[Raggydoll]

Well I viewed it that she was so stressed that she wasn't thinking straight and that's why she wasn't accepting money. I think the stress of the money situation has led her to have a bit of a breakdown and hence why she is so manic all the time and left George by himself.

Hardly the actions of someone thinking straight I would have thought.

I think you're right. The camera seemed quite swooshy.

 

[leelee]

Well I viewed it that she was so stressed that she wasn't thinking straight and that's why she wasn't accepting money. I think the stress of the money situation has led her to have a bit of a breakdown and hence why she is so manic all the time and left George by himself.

Hardly the actions of someone thinking straight I would have thought.

I think you're right. The camera seemed quite swooshy.

True - it was jumping all over the place. Like her thoughts were all jumbled up.

 

[smokey]

Well she wont have to worry about pride now if im right about what happened at the end.

I think she will survive.

Looks like she does

 

[tu123]

There really are people like poor Heather though. Brought up by a mum who put her down at every moment -hence why she tries to please others all the time.

She is the epitomy of insecurity and loneliness.

Some poeple just get "mixed up" at times and I am sure a bit of CO from bad gas supply doesnt help!

 

[leelee]

There really are people like poor Heather though. Brought up by a mum who put her down at every moment -hence why she tries to please others all the time.

She is the epitomy of insecurity and loneliness.

Some poeple just get "mixed up" at times and I am sure a bit of CO from bad gas supply doesnt help!

I agree with this.

 

[stacie-leigh]

I find it hard to believe. Single parents earn more than me and my husband! But I imagine it does happen to some people, possibly people who smoke and spend a lot of their money on cigarettes.