Steven Ell, 40, was forced to leave his job, after being asked to work extra hours for no more pay. He tells Maryam Qaiser, how and his wife are struggling to get by on Universal Credit.
I was more or less given the sack from my job at a warehouse when my boss asked me to work more hours, but said he wasn't willing to increase my pay.
Now my wife and I get a joint sum of £500 Universal Credit. It is very difficult to live off this especially because it is paid fortnightly.
I get some money from the Careers Allowance benefit too, to look after my wife, who is ill.
Once you have paid the rent, bills and council tax there's nothing left. That is one of the reasons I have to come to Coventry Food Bank, it really helps.
The long and short of it is, the volunteers at the food bank do a brilliant job. I don't know what I would do without their support.
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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.
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