A young mum with a six year old daughter has been left without any money for gas, electric or food because her Job Seekers Allowance has been sanctioned for 3 years! She still has a way to go yet on this sanction and the agents we are dealing with on this case are looking into helping her to get the sanction overturned. She has no family around her and has borrowed as much as she has been able to to survive from her friends and neighbours which has now made day to day living difficult as she is unable to pay them back. She has sold most of hers, and her daughter’s belonging to try to make ends meet.
When our agents met with this lady she was inconsolable. Her concern is with her daughter, who has only one pair of shoes to her name, a coat that is way too small, no fresh food to feed her. Although she has been able to get some food via a voucher for her local food bank, much of the food she is given is not suitable for a young and growing child.
A decision by her local authority as to whether they are able to help her has to go to a decision maker, which is fine but it all takes time and while this decision is being reached, people are literally starving and freezing in the cold. We agreed because of how urgent this case was to send across £200, this was to provide money for gas and electric, and much needed food .
Two of our members were particularly affected by this story and one sent vouchers for £30 to buy a Christmas present for the little girl, and another member sent vouchers for £100 to buy some clothing for her.