• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • FAQ
  • Meet the Team
  • About The London Economic
  • Advertise
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
NEWSLETTER
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Must Reads Broken Britain

Mother describes family living ‘hand to mouth’ during coronavirus lockdown

Helen Baker, from Devon, is a full-time carer for her autistic son.

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
April 23, 2020
in Broken Britain, Must Reads
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

A woman who cares full-time for her autistic son has described how her family is living “hand to mouth” during the coronavirus lockdown.

Helen Baker said earnings made by her taxi driver husband Chris have dried up during the outbreak and they are worrying about how they will cope.

Her comments came as charity Action for Children warned that many families are a pay cheque away from going without food and said its staff helping families to access emergency essentials are “overwhelmed” by the “sheer desperation” they are seeing.

Research carried out by the charity suggests few have savings to help see them through the crisis.

Coronavirus – Wed Apr 23, 2020
Helen Baker with her husband Chris and son Sam (Family handout/PA)

Mrs Baker, 50, who lives with her husband and seven-year-old son Sam in Paignton, Devon, said: “We’re literally living hand to mouth and when my husband said he’d only had a couple of driving jobs in a day, I didn’t know what to do.

No savings

“We don’t have any savings to fall back on and my husband’s been applying for jobs left, right and centre but everyone is scrambling for the same jobs.

“We’re frustrated and worried. This is quite a lonely place – it’s a struggle to get anything – everything’s a struggle, and it looks like it could get worse.

RelatedPosts

Watch – NHS carer’s remote island home means she has perhaps UK’s trickiest commute

Healthcare assistant dies with Covid after giving birth to fourth child

Swap ‘vomit of naff red and pink hearts’ on Valentine’s Day for NHS donations

American’s thread about strange British traits goes viral but do you agree

“Our main worry is if it comes to the point where money runs out. What if we can’t put food on the table or how long before we can get Universal Credit? What if we get ill and are stuck in lockdown?

“Nobody has an answer.”

More than 8.5 million children were living in families who had less than £1,500 in savings – or none at all – between 2015-18, analysis carried out by the charity of existing data held by the Department for Work and Pensions suggests.

There is also a “stark” North-South divide, with parents in the North East most likely to have little or no savings, the research by the charity indicates.

Action for Children deputy chief executive Carol Iddon said: “Millions of vulnerable families with children were struggling to put food on the table even before they were hit by the economic impact of this once-in-a-generation health crisis.

“A month into lockdown, they are hanging by a thread.

Frightened families

“Action for Children’s frontline staff are battling to help frightened families come out the other side of this but are overwhelmed by the sheer desperation of those who are only a pay cheque away from no longer being able to keep their children and babies warm and well fed.

“With so many families close to breaking point and many more on the breadline, we’re supporting struggling families all over the country through our emergency appeal to help them pay for essentials, and are asking people to donate to Action for Children.

“But the Government must act too, and use the most effective way we have of getting help to children – by increasing child benefit by £10 a week.”

A DWP spokesman said: “We are doing whatever it takes to ensure people are supported through these unprecedented times, implementing an enormous package of measures to do so.

“Widespread support is available, including increased Universal Credit payments, contributory benefits, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-employment Income Support Scheme, Statutory Sick Pay, mortgage holidays and greater protection for renters.”

Related – George Osborne indicates more austerity will be needed post-coronavirus crisis

Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending fromTLE

  • All
  • trending

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

Stress, fear and homelessness: The threat looming over families confronted with eviction

File photo dated 07/11/03 of a prison cell.

The Other Prison Pandemic

Latest from TLE

Image by AdobeStock

Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index for London, Sunday 28 February 2021

Lucky Numbers and Horoscopes for today, 28 February 2021

Boris Johnson reckons we will return to office life and working from home won’t last

Credit;PA

‘Donald J Trump ain’t going anywhere’ – Trump remains the dominant force at US conservative conference

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: jack@thelondoneconomic.com

Commercial enquiries, please contact: advertise@thelondoneconomic.com

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech & Auto
  • About The London Economic
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy policy

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.