Sean's Story: "No food except for friends sharing with me yesterday"

"On a zero hours contract and getting hardly any work. Getting into debt as a result. Having to wait 10 days more for benefits. Debt counselling from CAB who found I had no benefits and issued a voucher. No food except for friends sharing with me yesterday."

Thanks to everyone who shares why they need emergency food from us.

Allan's Story

"I have been sanctioned for four weeks by JCP because I was unable to attend a course because I was ill. I had a stomach upset and I went to the pharmacist for advice and medication not the doctor (I have not needed a doctor for 35 years). This meant I did not have a doctors note and although I wrote to explain this was not good enough. Unfortunately the pharmacist does not know me either. The sanction has now ended but I still have to pay off the debts that accumulated during that period which included not only the four weeks but the two weeks of 'hardship payment'. Last week I was back on the full amount less deductions but because of the extra payments I cannot make ends meet this week. I was a cleaner on contract on zero hours and now there are no hours."

Thank you to Allan for sharing this with us.