Muristek
‘I wouldn’t have survived without it’: seven people on how food banks have supported them
In a year in which those already in poverty have been further marginalised, seven people explain how they have been helped by anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust, but also why they wish food banks were no longer needed
Jenny, 41, HampshireIn 2019, I had mental health issues and couldn’t work. My flat was repossessed and I ended up in emergency temporary accommodation and claiming universal credit for the first time. I was living on £291 a month. I never thought I would walk through the doors of a food bank, because there is a stigma involved. It took a lot for me to do it – I had no choice because I had no food. But I was greeted by a lovely woman. She could see I was nervous, so she sat me down with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake while we talked about what I needed. That experience changed everything for me because I realised it was OK to ask for help.
I’d love the government to reverse the decision on the universal credit cut. They increased it when people who had previously been working on higher salaries realised that universal credit wasn’t enough money. To take it away in the beginning of winter is, I think, a disgusting decision to make.
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