How much do I need to live on

So sorry for your loss, totally.
I agree with so much that has been said already but I endorse completely what Synonymous said. Once you have made a desision it’s not yours to make anymore. Go slowly, if you are not sure about something then the world probably won’t end if you put it on hold for a while.
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So sorry for your loss @TotallyLost

I think keeping your job for now is a lifeline. It gets you out of the house and interacting with people at least, and that helps.

I think you need to speak to CAB, or AgeUK, as some have already said. Only you will know how much you need to live on.

Good luck

Two of us live well on £800 per month in our bungalow with enough money to run a car and go for days out and holidays. We have a 10k contingency fund but no other income.

I’m in the same situation regauardung finances
I have no pension
Just a small amount coming in a month
I thank god I have my own home and feel safe.
Spk to Age concern or CAB for advice
I also got my fuel bills right down by searching cheaper companies
Sky are also very good when dealing with this kind of situation. I pay £8 a month and that includes Broad band tv and Phone
Martin Lewis online is full of great advice and links
Good luck and look after your self and don’t forget don’t panic it will be alright.

Useful information here: www.dailymail.co.uk/money/experts/article-5036909/ASK-TONY-wife-inherit-state-pension-die.html

Totallylost, first of all, my utter sympathies for your awful experience. I had the same many years ago but, happily, not without some pension and I was employed. My saving grace was a spreadsheet. I did a mini daily one for actual income and outlay at first and also a monthly one for regular income and outgoings. This was a huge help to me as it drew a picture of the necessary/unnecessary stuff and the same with essentials both monthly and annually. The great and awful unknown (I read you own your house) is ongoing maintenance. If this sounds pedantic, boring and unthinkable, it certainly was both a distraction and challenge for me in the early days. It's still a challenge but a manageable one in my case. You are in a terrible and confusing place at the moment. There is help out there aplenty....... friends, family and recognised establishments. Please do not feel alone. I wish you well and......eventual calm happiness in your dramatically changed circumstances

Totally - echoing everyone's good counsel about getting advice from CAB etc. I'm so sorry that you find yourself in this position without your husband's pension. I have been widowed twice, once at 44 and again at 63, and I can completely identify with your bewilderment about the financial side when you are so emotionally vulnerable! Just one thing occurs to me which I did to boost my income when my husband went into a care home and I had to pay some of his fees. I took in a student through the local university scheme to place foreign students with families. You can earn up to £7,250 per annum tax free under HMRC Rent a Room scheme (to anybody, not just a student). I was lucky enough to get a lovely Chinese girl who was studying Architecture, and she stayed with me for 4 years. I provided breakfast and tea each day, and if I was going to be out, I left her something. It was company for me and she became part of the family. Worth a thought if you are anywhere near a university or language school. Wishing you strength to get through this difficult time. You never stop missing them, but gradually, the painful thoughts are replaced by memories of happier times

In Scotland you get 25% off your council tax if you're the sole occupant. I hope you get some good advice, it's a terrible time for a family. Look after yourself.

Like all the others, so sorry to hear of your sad loss. I have with DH and disabled DS with income of £40 weekly from DS, a state pension of £120, weekly, a work pension of £38 monthly and DH has ESA of just over £200 fortnightly. We are all disabled, I've got AA and he's got DLA. We get Housing and Council Tax benefit, so our housing is about £50 monthly, Fuel bills about £80 monthly, food and other bills around £500 monthly. We cope beautifully, DS and I go out once a week for a drink, taking it in turns to pay and fortnightly a pub lunch (£8 for 2 meals), I buy cheap clothes when I need them and manage to save about £50 monthly. Hope that helps.

Google gov.uk/check-state-pension and you will be able to get an accurate forecast of the amount that you will receive. If it is less than £144 you will get pension credit.
It is also worth checking what else you may be able to get as a pensioner. Don't forget Council tax credit which is worth quite a bit.
I get a basic state pension and manage well and am able to save for when I will need some care. Hopefully you won't need to save much for your early years.
Give yourself time though.

There is some great advice here. I can’t add any more but just wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry for your loss, that is a young age to die these days, you must still be in shock, and miss him badly. Don't be afraid to weep.
You should be able to manage on your pension plus your job, so hopefully there will be no immediate worry, but in the long term, after you give up work, you may have to make adjustments to your life style. Lots of people manage on a single pension but overseas holidays or cruises will probably be out! I would plan to keep working as long as possible, to fill your time, for the company, and to build up your savings to cover future large expenses such as major car repairs, new boiler or appliances, etc.
If you notify your local council that you now live alone, you will get a discount on your rates. Sooner or later it will help to write out your expenses including any annual payments for insurance etc, and divide by 12 to see if you can live within your income or if not, what changes you can make. Don't make any decisions yet about major changes such as moving etc, give it at keast 6 months or a year, as you will go through a lot of changing emotions as you grieve. In the future, if you run short of money, you can obtain a significant lump sum, with no repayment costs, by taking some of the equity out of your property. Interest will build up on it and keep increasing the amount owed, but the total is only repaid when you pass on, and you can still move house without repaying it. This is a good last resort to keep in mind, it is good to know it is an option, but it would deplete what you have to leave to your family (or to the state if you end up in care).
Wishing you all the best at this hard time. ?

Wow, you're all being so kind, I really can't thank you enough. I'll try to answer one or two of your questions . Yes I've got a council tax reduction, I'm self employed and this has made things challenging, I do have a dog who has been a great source of comfort . I so wish that I could share the events and subsequent events with you but I fear because they're so unusual and dramatic it would definitely make it obvious who I am to anyone who knows me , there are also further ramifications going forward . I promise I'll take all your comments on board as soon as I'm physically able.

Good advice given here.Please accept my sympathies at this difficult time x

Totally lost - so sorry for you but you will get through this. Do lean on your daughter, she is a long way from you and will realise that you need her help to bounce your ideas around. Citizens Advice Bureau will help so don't be afraid to get this. My advice is to work in whatever paid capacity you can do for as long as possible, not only to secure some additional savings but also to keep your mind on something other than your grief. Of course you must and will grieve but often a job helps in that process.

I know from personal experience what a dreadful time this is for you. Please follow a lot the advice that has been offered to you.
Sincere condolences and more cyber hugs.?

Totallylost - my heart goes out to you. It's so hard to concentrate when you still have waves of grief overwhelming you. Just stick tight with your job for the time being. Routine can be a great comfort. Work on a budget and over time it will become clearer. Take small steps - e.g. start to monitor how much you spend on the different elements of your spending. Start with one - e.g. food - by keeping all the receipts in a week and adding them up. Then do another type of spending, like going out. Do take the time to go out - it might do you good. Try seeing friends for a coffee or going to the cinema or going to a museum - whatever you like to do. Perhaps you could plan small treats - even simple things like planning to watch a favourite TV programme would be good. It will start to make you feel a little more in control, although it will come and go for sure. That totally lost feeling is overwhelming, but maybe you can start to chip away at it. Take your time. I hope you feel comfort from all the support that is flowing your way.

My DH passed away in May this year and I've found myself in the same situation although as I'm 57 I don't qualify for widows pension which you will. I was given a lump sum (around £1500ish) and £100 pm for 18 months and that's it. Hardly helpful. Because my DH died whilst still working there were death in service benefits from his company but no pension, because of our ages the money is considered to be a "pot" not a pension which will be paid out separately and can be reinvested into a pension. A steep learning curve, we had mirror wills and signed statement of intent but these make no difference as trustees of scheme have final say over distribution of funds. Believe it or not children (even estranged) are contacted by pension companies to see if they have a claim. Children are classed as children up to the deceased is 70 years old. Any way I went through statements wrote everything down inc. TV licence, insurances etc and added £30 for food pw and £20 for me and came to a figure which is working at the mo. Good luck and sincere condolences it's a difficult path and I wish you luck x

TotallyLost, I feel so much for you. I was totally at sea after my DH died 4 years ago. I am fortunate that his Private Pensions were set up so that I get the full amount for 7 years and after that it goes down to 50%, but the Pension is now taxed at source. Apart from that I did get an increased State Pension as a widow.
I have found that I now work with two bank accounts. Into one goes all the Pensions, and the other I call my working account. I managed to get a list of direct debits from my bank and set up a transfer into the working account each month to cover these with a little over, just in case any of the bills exceeded the expected amount.
In my Pensions account, anything that is left over is for food shopping, clothes and presents etc etc. I work online so I can always check each account whenever I want, and after a few months of juggling, this system appears to be working for me.
It is so tough to try to do everything after just a few weeks, when your mind must be foggy and jumbled, but if this system helps in anyway, I hope it will be one less thing clogging your mind.
If it helps, I cannot remember much about the first few months after DH died, so be kind to yourself, and tackle only one thing at a time if you are able, my thoughts are with you.

Oh Totallylost I really feel for you, especially as I would be in the same situation as you if my husband died. I’ve done the spreadsheets and know that my state pension and private pension of £100 a month wouldn’t be enough. He has major surgery tomorrow, if it’s not cancelled because of an emergency case, and I’m terrified. My plan is to take equity release from the house. I love my home and don’t want to move. I’ll be thinking of you.

Get an appy for Age UK they can help with all sorts and nothing is that pressing at the moment that is can't wait a couple of weeks.

Just cosset yourself and remember that we are all here for you.

I am so sorry for your loss.

So very sorry for your loss. These are very early days but of course you need to get your finances in place. There is a web site that is easy to use and you can run your figures through it.
www.entitledto.co.uk/
Depending on your state pension amount( not all of us get the basic some get more depending on contribution S)You May have an entitlement to Pension Credit and Council tax benefit. There are benefit advisers for Pensioners so dig out your Pension letters and there should be a telephone number on it if not to hand the Gov website can help

www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/entitlement

Lots of love being sent your way.

Make an appointment to your bank? They will go through all outgoings with you (with access to husband's account?). Imo don't give up work, you need the structure to your day and the company of co-workers. Indeed try not to make any life-changing decisions for at least 6 months.
With CAB, check you are getting all you are entitled to eg free bus pass if they have them in your area, etc.
I too think you should have some part of your husband's pension

Sorry to hear of your loss. It must be very hard and overwhelming to have to think about finances when you will be grieving. If you need to you could ask for a doctor's sick note to give you a few weeks off work with grief/stress sick pay whilst protecting your job. Lots of people take a few weeks or a month off after the death of a loved one especially if it is unexpected and sudden. This would allow you time to grieve. When you feel able find old gas and electricity bills and work out what you pay each month, same with water bill, then how much you think you will spend on food, water and food bills will likely be lower if you will be living alone, then council tax, car/driving expenses and then allow extra for spending on bits and pieces and add it together. You may feel you want to keep working to keep contact with others and avoid becoming isolated if your DD is so far away. Later as you get older you may think about going part-time or cutting back your hours. Ring benefits line and find out how much pension credit you could be entitled to if you were not working. This will allow you to make informed choice. Are you paying in towards your own pension, if not you might want to whilst you are still working.

Totallylost I understand your feelings as I was once in your position. I was a fish out of water.Every one is different in how much they need to live on. Inform the DWP of your loss as there will or should be an increase in your state pension. Did your late husband have a private pension ?as you need to look into this and you may be entitled to some of it. If you will be living on your own in your own property you will get a reduction in your council tax.Get hold of your council immediately and inform them of your loss. Don't despair it will get easier as time goes on..