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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Paying rent without work 'a very scary place to be' | Paying rent without work 'a very scary place to be' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| What is it like to lose your job and not have enough money to cover your rent and childcare? | What is it like to lose your job and not have enough money to cover your rent and childcare? |
| Single mother-of-two Karen Lucas was made redundant from her job as a financial analyst and was out of work for almost two months. | Single mother-of-two Karen Lucas was made redundant from her job as a financial analyst and was out of work for almost two months. |
| She says it will affect her for "a good number of years to come". | She says it will affect her for "a good number of years to come". |
| And she is not alone. | And she is not alone. |
| One in three families in England is unable to afford their rent or mortgage payments for more than a month after losing their job, according to a study for the charity Shelter. | One in three families in England is unable to afford their rent or mortgage payments for more than a month after losing their job, according to a study for the charity Shelter. |
| High costs for housing and a lack of personal savings are cited as the main reasons. The government says "strong protections" are in place for "those who fall on difficult times". | High costs for housing and a lack of personal savings are cited as the main reasons. The government says "strong protections" are in place for "those who fall on difficult times". |
| Karen, from Basingstoke, said: "I lost my job in May, having been headhunted into the role and then told I wasn't needed after three months' probation. | Karen, from Basingstoke, said: "I lost my job in May, having been headhunted into the role and then told I wasn't needed after three months' probation. |
| "I had relocated and changed my plans to take up the role and was then left with £1,200 monthly rent to pay on just £73 per week jobseeker's allowance. | "I had relocated and changed my plans to take up the role and was then left with £1,200 monthly rent to pay on just £73 per week jobseeker's allowance. |
| "I was able to cover one month's rent from money I had in the bank - but even that was a struggle. | "I was able to cover one month's rent from money I had in the bank - but even that was a struggle. |
| "I had to apply for discretionary housing benefit and move my debts on to a payment plan, which will now affect all my future credit rating. | "I had to apply for discretionary housing benefit and move my debts on to a payment plan, which will now affect all my future credit rating. |
| "Although I found a new job last month, I'm now on significantly less money than I was. | "Although I found a new job last month, I'm now on significantly less money than I was. |
| "I'm now taking home £2,000 a month, with £1,300 childcare and £1,200 rent. My tax credits and housing benefits amount to £900. So it doesn't leave me much and I'm on a payment plan for my credit cards. | "I'm now taking home £2,000 a month, with £1,300 childcare and £1,200 rent. My tax credits and housing benefits amount to £900. So it doesn't leave me much and I'm on a payment plan for my credit cards. |
| "The effects of losing my job and being out of work for seven weeks will give me a headache in dealing with it for a good number of years to come. | "The effects of losing my job and being out of work for seven weeks will give me a headache in dealing with it for a good number of years to come. |
| "This has never happened to me before, having worked constantly for 20 years. It has totally knocked my confidence and my concern now is how do I move forward? | "This has never happened to me before, having worked constantly for 20 years. It has totally knocked my confidence and my concern now is how do I move forward? |
| "I have to pay for full-time nursery, holiday clubs and before and after-school clubs to enable me to work. | "I have to pay for full-time nursery, holiday clubs and before and after-school clubs to enable me to work. |
| "I'd be in serious trouble if it happened again. I already feel like I'm in this horrible loop and I can't see where I'll get out. It was even worse when I was out of work. | "I'd be in serious trouble if it happened again. I already feel like I'm in this horrible loop and I can't see where I'll get out. It was even worse when I was out of work. |
| "It's a very scary place to be. | "It's a very scary place to be. |
| "There's help out there but it's not easy to find. | "There's help out there but it's not easy to find. |
| "Rents need to be reviewed by the government and as my credit rating is now affected I doubt I would be able to rent another house, even if it's cheaper, as I wouldn't pass the credit checks. | "Rents need to be reviewed by the government and as my credit rating is now affected I doubt I would be able to rent another house, even if it's cheaper, as I wouldn't pass the credit checks. |
| "So I have no idea what we are meant to do when we fall on hard times again. It isn't a short-term issue. It all has lasting effects." | "So I have no idea what we are meant to do when we fall on hard times again. It isn't a short-term issue. It all has lasting effects." |