Poverty: Food bank user worried about Christmas cost of living

About 19,000 people visited a food bank for the first time between April and September.

But the first visit is not always easy said Samantha, who is 46 and has a 12-year-old daughter.

“I think it was embarrassment,” she said.

“People don't tend to talk about it. I first came here in about 2018.

“I had just lost my job. No income coming in. I am so glad I did come and ask for help. These are brilliant people.”

Samantha is still unemployed and waiting for her first universal credit payment after being transferred from employment support allowance at the beginning of the month. The average waiting time is five weeks.

“[Christmas] is really stressful,” she said. “It scares me.”

“I have to take it day by day, otherwise I’ll lock myself away and just dwell on my thoughts.

“I feel very worried and stressed, sometimes low because perhaps I am overthinking things. But then I am not really overthinking things at all am I, because it is really hard.”