Newcastle mam speaks out as more benefit claimants worry about reforms
A Newcastle mam has told us she was facing homelessness and starvation - before finally accessing benefits.
A Newcastle mam has told Metro Radio that she felt like a failure signing on for vital benefits.
45-year-old Michelle Smith was made redundant from her job while suffering from a serious illness, she was left without an income but denied a number of benefits because she was paying a mortgage.
She said:
“I didn’t know where the next meal was going to come from. I lost confidence in talking to people even because I just felt so like a scrounger, like I wasn’t worth anything.
“You can’t help but feel like maybe I’ve done something wrong somewhere and I’ve failed. I’ve failed me, I’ve failed my daughter and I’ve failed the family.
“I’d never claimed any benefits before, I’d never been in a position where I couldn’t pay my bills before. I was facing homelessness and there wasn’t just me to think about there was my daughter.”
It’s as new research shows three quarters of claimants in the North East admit they’re worried about future welfare reform.
The figures, from charity Turn2Us, also show 76% of households in the region said they might have to cut back on food if their benefits were to be cut or reduced, whilst 62% would feel more stressed about their financial situation.
Kelly Jones, Welfare Benefits Specialist, said:
“There’s currently around 15 billion pound per year of benefits going unclaimed and considering the amount of in- work poverty and the rise in people using foodbanks, that’s not really acceptable.
“We need to get more people knowing what they’re entitled to, not being so scared of claiming what they’re entitled too and improving their situation as a result.”
For more information about the Turn2US Benefits Awareness Campaign as well as free and confidential support, visit: Turn2us.org.uk