Broken heart of three mothers because she can’t afford £ 5 to send her daughter on a school trip

When the little Codie-Leigh celebrated her fourth birthday last year, she shared “sweet tea” (Lidl cakes and biscuits purchased at the same store for 30p per pack) with family and friends.

Codie’s previous party was certainly not a luxury, but this year it’s still out of the question.

“It’s Cody’s birthday soon, but she can’t have a party and I’m really looking forward to it every year,” says her mother, Rebeka Stewart.

Her sister Harpage also misses a few days ago when she turns two. But the pandemic’s blow to families isn’t limited to canceled parties. That’s because it puts even more strain on public finances, which are already at their limits.

Rebeka’s government “budget loan” has been suspended as a result of Covid, and the pizzeria she earned with a little money can no longer afford to take on her.

The 28-year-old woman lives with Cody Lee (Miarou) (3) and Harpage (1) in a group of six streets in the heart of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, which has the highest child poverty rate in the UK. is.

Child poverty has risen most rapidly in the northeast and parts of Midland in the last four years, according to a new study by Loughborough University and End Child Poverty. In some Middlesbrough and Tyneside, child poverty has skyrocketed by more than 10% since 2014/15.

In a small part of the town of Rebeka, deprivation is accepted by Stoic as a fact of life, with 76% of children living under the Breadline.

Despite the challenges they face, Rebekah seeks to remain positive. Her cheerful temperament falls only once.

“We laugh and laugh a lot in this house, but there are days when I’m really struggling. You can’t help it,” she says. “No matter how hard you try to save, borrow, or go without, you have no option to succumb to anxiety and depression and explore a cave.

“What would happen to the girls if I did that? They would be taken care of.

“Don’t get me wrong. There are dark days, so I think it’s best for them. If they were taken care of, they would have more.

“But I make sure my girls know they are loved, they are all about this world for me, and it’s more than some additional gifts for Christmas I know it’s worth it. “

She knows, however, that it will be a tough month, even before the Christmas outlook.

Of course, “going without” is not uncommon for Rebeka. Recently, her kitchen faucet broke and there was little response from the landlord, so she had to buy a new one from a local hardware store for £ 22 and pay a plumber £ 40 to install it.

Rebeka didn’t eat a single meal for three days because she had to collect money for some reason.

She states: “There was almost nothing left in the meal that week. It’s about £ 15, not too far for a family of four.

“Even if the toast contained only beans, the gas and heating remained, and the girls ate. That meant I hadn’t eaten for three days, and my family didn’t say anything. When I learned that I was angry with that.

“They have their own problems and don’t have to stack me up, but my aunt forced me to go to her and eat. Otherwise I would go to the hospital She said it would be. “

She does her best to escape the girl’s similar resentment, but sometimes it’s just impossible.

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She looks at the floor as follows: “Cody had to miss a school trip. It was terrible for a friend to go, but she couldn’t, but that week she robbed Peter of paying Paul. ..

“I tried to leave it to her, but I could see how disappointed she was that she missed.”

Cody couldn’t afford to go for £ 5 and went to the Newham Grange Farm across the town, but with this small budget he couldn’t achieve as much as a ski break in Val d’Isere.

Rebeka receives £ 128 for a two-week income support, £ 117 for a children’s allowance and £ 48 a week for a child tax deduction.

Since she is the third child born after April 2017, she received £ 13.78 to support Harpage for violating the Tories austerity measures that beat parents with two or more children. I did.

After buying food, her prepaid gas and electricity cost £ 20 a week, and a luxury TV contract of £ 18 a month usually reached the break-even point.

But she became afraid of her birthday, especially when she had two children in December.

Occasionally she was forced to use a local food bank. The last is January.

That week, Cody needed a new uniform. This meant an expensive visit to Asda, pushing a double buggy on a 5-mile round trip on foot.

“Such things can be economically overwhelming,” says Rebeka. “Usually I do something, but I didn’t have any money left for the week. There was nothing. In fact, I was in debt to my mother and uncle. I was in debt.

“I have no choice but to go to the food bank, but they were very kind and kind. It was an absolute godsend. It’s reassuring to know that things are there if things really collapse. is.

“It’s a way of life because I often manage my debt. I recently had to take a taxi to book a hospital, which means I can pay my mom. I only have a £ 20 tenant renting her and it’s been repeated many times. You live with it, that’s life. “

The girl’s dad lives nearby and has a good relationship with her daughters, but she can’t work, can’t contribute, and is responsible for Rebeka to keep spinning.

Her little house is on the edge of a tiered street, with some wooden houses, and finally a park, where girls like to play when it’s warm. weather come.
She says she wants to save money to move deposits someday, but realizes that it is unlikely.

“This is a terrible round,” she says. “When Myalu was sick, we had to quarantine and I couldn’t go out, so the council delivered me a parcel of food. My doorway for me to pick it up. Someone hurt it in the time it took to walk to the mouth.

“The woman who dropped it didn’t return to the car. We just stood up and looked at each other. I had to laugh.”

Rebeka’s plight is not uncommon in the Gresham area where she lives. In fact, on the streets leading to the town’s bustling multicultural parliament, children who do not live in child poverty are part of the minority.

Sarah Barber knows this very well. The tension of living under the savage restraint of the sudden upper limit of her monthly benefits is written throughout her caring face.

The 34-year-old lives alone with eight children, Bethany 18, Amy 13, Cody 11, Paul 10, Tara 7, Rome 6, Lucas 3, and Jerome 2.

Before the introduction of Universal creditSarah received £ 500 a week for income support, children’s allowance and tax credits. She now receives £ 1000.29. Her privately rented terraced house in Gresham costs £ 650 per month, with the rest £ 350.

Sarah said: “I lost three stones because I had to refuse food so that my children could eat it. The longest I did was five days, which affected my physical and mental health. I know that, but I have no choice but to continue trying to bring us all to the surface. “

Sarah’s 74-year-old mother, Mary Barber, is anxious and frequently visits her home.

Sarah said: “I don’t know what to do without my mother. She does a lot for us.

She enjoys her later years and don’t worry about feeding her daughter and grandchildren. But if she didn’t come and bring us food and food, we would be really worried. “