Kelly Wellsted, 31, is a cleaner from Sheffield. She tells Claire Donnelly why a zero hours contract and low pay means she needs to use the food bank.
I’ve just got a part-time job as a cleaner at the football ground. I was hoping it would be more hours but it’s very part-time for now. It’s not set hours, it’s just when you’re needed.
I love the job though - I’m lucky to have it - and my colleagues are really nice.
It’s just hard to know what money you’re getting each month.
When my rent and bills have gone out I’ve got about £50 for the month.
My travel is really expensive. I walk when I can but I need to use public transport to get to work, it costs me £14 for my pass.
Even though I’m working I have to go to the food bank sometimes. I’ve been a few times. The one here is really nice.
I’ve been to others where it can be really stressful, where there have been people kicking off.
I walk here - it’s about 15 or 20 minutes so that’s ok.
I’m looking for a full-time job if I can get one.
I suffer from anxiety so I’ve struggled to get a job in the past. I get Universal Credit and I’m paying off rent arrears too - that’s a big chunk of my money.
I pay everything out then just try and manage with what I’ve got left.
There isn’t enough for any extras or if I need clothes or anything.
I’m lucky a family member bought me a big winter coat so I can get wrapped up.
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We are retracing the journey George Orwell made in his book, The Road to Wigan Pier, to tell modern stories of working and unemployed poverty.
They'll appear in a regular series in the Daily Mirror newspaper and here, on our special anniversary website.
