A Leeds mum was left in financial crisis and having to make big changes when her husband suddenly and tragically died.
Gill Lawson, 62, lost her husband Bob, 50, 13 years ago from a stroke and heart attack in a big shock to the family. Gill was left reeling from Bob's death, and struggling to get by without him earning - the couple didn't have life insurance.
The Leeds mum had planned to retire until Bob's death the month before. Instead, she had to up her part-time work for 10-hour days doing cleaning jobs to make it by.
Read more: Kate Middleton at Leeds Kirkgate Market on royal visit to launch Shaping Us campaign
Gill said: "We really struggled to get by and I still do. I had no money for the funeral so my mum had to help and I did get a small grant from the government. But losing a wage like that was really tough. Bob was a Charge Nurse at the local hospital so it was a good wage. For months I was worried that we’d lose the house but I learned to live within my means.
“We did always think about getting life insurance but it was always put on the back burner, as our money was always needed for other things. We have four kids so whenever it comes to buying it, something always comes up and you just think ‘oh it will never happen to me’.”
Bob was fit and healthy prior to his death. He didn't smoke and coached football regularly.
Gill's part-time wage on top of Bob's nurse wage meant they could afford little treats for their children and themselves. But since becoming the sole earner, Gill only has enough to cover groceries, utility and her mortgage, and is also walking around 40,000 steps a day as she doesn't drive and can't afford public transport.
"The guilt is unreal. We were able to help out my eldest daughter when Bob was alive with her wedding," Gill added. "But when he passed, we couldn’t help our other children with their wedding costs, or when they moved out.”
Losing Bob and struggling with money had an impact on Gill's wellbeing. But she says her children have told her they understand the situation.
Gill sought financial advice that she says indicated selling their home wouldn't have saved her much money - and said she wants to keep it anyway as Bob and her worked so hard for it.
Gill said: “If there’s one bit of advice that I can give for everyone, and something I’ve hammered home to my children, it’s to make sure that you have life insurance to make sure your family is protected. My kids have seen how I have suffered for over 13 years and wouldn’t want to go through it themselves.
“I luckily managed to get by but I wouldn’t want anybody to be left in my situation, working all hours and not having any time or money for themselves. If I’d had life insurance, I wouldn’t have spent years of my life worrying about how I was going to pay my bills, and I would have been able to treat the kids a lot more.”
Philip Stubbins, Managing Director at Money Expert said: “Stories like Gill’s highlight just how tough it can be when there is a death in the family and there isn’t anything in place to help financially. Gill is a huge inspiration with her unmatched strength and resilience over the years.
“Situations like this are too common and can be avoided by ensuring you plan for your future early on. By Gill sharing her story, we hope it will help others avoid being hit so sorely when it comes to their finances following a loss.
“When planning for the future and considering your ongoing health, taking out a life insurance policy is very important, in fact the earlier the better. In order to find the right policy for you, which is within your budget, you should compare a variety of life insurance offers. By prioritising your life insurance policy you’ll guarantee financial stability for your family in the future.”
Read next:
