As the @CommonsWorkPen hears evidence on the impact of the #twochildlimit, we're sharing more stories of those affected by the policy - first up is Alva #AllKidsCount cpag.e-activist.com/page/50433/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Dare tries to protect her children as much as she can from her financial worries: ‘I just try and not let it get to my children. I try and be more positive about my situation…I’m the only person that they have, so I don’t allow anything to worry them.’ cpag.e-activist.com/page/50435/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Katy says: ‘By the time you pay all the bills and you buy food shopping, if you need anything else throughout the week, sometimes it doesn’t last…. If you need anything else, like… milk, bread... sometimes we have had to borrow money off people, family’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50436/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Kimberly worries a lot about money: ‘(it) just causes you unnecessary worry and stress … and you spend your whole life worrying … I can understand how people get ill with worry’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50437/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Michelle had to cut back on activities for her older children... and has observed that they sometimes blame their youngest brother for having to miss out: ‘I feel awful because it makes them think “That’s Jason’s fault”… they’re still kids themselves’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50438/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Money worries have taken their toll on Paul's family and caused considerable stress, particularly at expensive times of year: ‘For myself and for my partner [they feel] the stress and that of it, you get to Christmas time and it is really difficult.’ cpag.e-activist.com/page/50439/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Sam said of his children: ‘Yeah it affects them, like, you know, creating memories… Like I said, we have no money. …For [school] holidays we’ve got no money to treat them to do anything nice you know…' cpag.e-activist.com/page/50440/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Samira explained that their financial situation has caused immense strain and tension in her relationship with her husband, and that she can see no way out of it. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50441/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Paula says: ‘I didn’t have any credit cards this time last year. I’ve now got two. They’re maxed out... I’m in a good bit of debt now, it’s not possible to make it work at the end of the month’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50442/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Jenny says: 'This week, we have no money. Tax credits will be paid on Tuesday so my mum will buy our food this week. I honestly don’t know what we would do without her. It sounds dramatic, but we would be visiting food banks otherwise…' cpag.e-activist.com/page/50443/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Andrew is concerned that without enough to cover even the basic essentials, there is no money for the children to take part in extra-curricular activities: ‘everything else which is good for becoming a good-rounded adult’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50444/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Anna's circumstances changed: ‘We chose to have our 3rd child while we were both working full time in permanent professional jobs. However, my husband suddenly lost his job and is suffering with mental illness, so is unable to find new employment.’ cpag.e-activist.com/page/50445/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Janet makes sacrifices herself to ensure that her children eat well: ‘We try our best, obviously, and make sure they’re well fed, and we just pick up the left overs if they leave anything, or just toast’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50446/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Ana had an emotionally abusive partner: ‘He told me that he couldn’t have children, and then I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t want to continue with the pregnancy... But he threatened to kill himself if I didn’t give him this chance to be a dad.' cpag.e-activist.com/page/50447/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Sabrina knew that she would struggle to bring a third baby into the world. She couldn’t bear the thought of having to tell the government how the child was conceived – out of abuse and fear – in order to get the money she was entitled to. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50448/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Nabi & Fatima are refugees affected by the two-child limit: ‘We are cutting down on spending money on the other two, just so we can spend money on the baby. Because the eldest two will understand, but the baby, without milk for instance, wouldn’t survive.’ cpag.e-activist.com/page/50450/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Samantha feels embarrassed that her two daughters, aged 7 and 10, are ‘missing out’, as she is unable to afford school trips and other activities. She also says her own mental health is suffering as a result of her financial struggles cpag.e-activist.com/page/50451/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Sarah and David are a deeply religious couple, and their use of contraception is limited by their religious beliefs. They regard their children as their greatest blessing, and also a source of security in the long term cpag.e-activist.com/page/50452/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Kauther has four children aged seven, five, three and one, and is pregnant with her fifth child. She became pregnant when the medication she was taking for another health condition made her contraception ineffective. She is unable to work due to illness. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50453/act…
@CommonsWorkPen Lisa is pessimistic about the family’s financial future & feels ashamed that she's unable to afford the extras for her kids: ‘Two weeks ago I took my weans to a soft-play and I didn’t realise the price of it - it would have cost £40 so I had to walk away’. cpag.e-activist.com/page/50454/act…
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