"I have been told that I owe £17,000 in overpaid disability. I haven't had any money for 10 days and am waiting for an appeal in another 10 days. To tell the truth I get quite down just thinking about it. I have been borrowing odd bits of money from my neighbours."
"For several months I have been forced into debt by the bedroom tax being demanded to pay £13 a month that I don't have. The council housed me and my daughter (aged 4) in this 3 bedroom flat as I was homeless and fled domestic violence. I have asked them to downsize me and they refuse which is causing my debt to increase by £60 a month. This is causing me to be depressed and left feeling trapped. They are now taking me to court to remove me from my home. I don't have family around to fall back on. If I lose my home we will have nothing. I am at college trying to better my life and make a better future for my daughter. The better I do the more something happens to knock me back down. If they moved me and helped I wouldn't be forced into debt and I could deal with my personal issues then i.e. no family and the loss of a child and maybe I would feel more settled. I feel like everything is slipping through my fingers and my life is just bad and unhappy."
"I attended my jobsearch program during the week (as usual). As my dates are sometimes changed (i.e. to different days of the week) on this 'one' occasion I actually attended on the Wednesday, a day earlier than I was scheduled to!! - No one pointed this out to me, and let me continue as I would normally. Because I did not attend on the 'Thursday' (the day after) I was sanctioned and denied my benefits from the 4th Feb. I have no second income as I now live alone since the death of my partner. I am without gas and almost without electricity as I am on meters. I am currently awaiting a decision on an application for hardship payments."
"I got out of prison 18 months ago and have been unable to find work. My job seekers allowance should be £69 a week. I am getting deductions taken out of this for council tax arrears, water rates and budgeting loans leaving me about £55 a week. Then I'm on prepayment meters for gas and electric at £2 charge each, and I'm in debt on the gas for £75, so when I put £5 on the gas, £3 is taken straight away for debt. I normally find it a struggle to cope, but everything seemed to go wrong at once this week."
"I have had my benefit stopped because apparently I did not go to a work programme even though I did go. They just take the Mick out of people these days".