Struggling Leeds residents have shared their battle to make ends meet this Christmas as they battle the rising cost of living crisis and problems with strikes and Universal Credit.
Wayne Hawes, 40, only managed to get presents for his kids, seven and 14, this year by picking them up from a charity hand-out event at St Richard’s Church in Seacroft.
The former bricklayer who receives Universal Credit has been “struggling big time”. He had to ask his family to give him food as he can’t afford to buy it for himself. This included an assortment of crisps and breaded chicken fillets which he was carrying home in a plastic bag.
Read more: Pay tribute to lost loved ones by lighting a virtual candle for Christmas
Wayne said: “I’ve been struggling big time, for my electric and everything. Just feeding myself, I’ve had to ask my family to help me out and I’ve never had to do that before.
"They’ve been giving me meals like chicken and stuff to make into meals and snacks and stuff like that. Stuff that I can’t afford for myself. All the amount of money I’m making, I’m on a right low pay.
“I’m on Universal Credit, I only get like £230 a month to do everything. I have my flat to run and everything, it’s a council property.”
The 40-year says it’s been costing a “tenner a day” just to run the heating and has been “covering myself in quilts” at home just to keep warm. He can’t currently afford to buy a new coat.
'Scaled down Christmas'
Mother-of-two Lisa Slade, 41, has said she’s had “scaled down” Christmas significantly this year. The full-time mum, who works part time as a school dinner lady, has she and her husband have put their children’s, five and 10, needs first – making sure they’ve got presents to open on the festive day.
Lisa said: “I think it’s been scaled down this year quite a lot in our house. We’re definitely on a much tighter budget this year. We’ve had to cut down on food quite a lot.”
Lisa’s husband works for the Royal Mail and has said the strikes couldn’t have come at a more challenging time, although she’s said he’s very much in support of the strikes which seek to improve the mail workers’ wages.
Father-of-three Ryan Croft, 36, said Christmas this year will be a “depressing time” as so many people are struggling. He couldn’t afford to put a tree up at home and has no decorations as he’s battled to survive the rising costs over the winter.
His voice almost cracking, Ryan said: “It’s going to be the worst Christmas ever. I couldn’t afford to buy my kids Christmas presents this year. I told them and they said, ‘It doesn’t matter, as long as we have each other this Christmas.”
Read next:
- Busy Leeds city centre street to shut in January for major £250,000 revamp
- Erling Haaland's Leeds United text, his Elland Road love and Jesse Marsch's injury jibe
- Danny Malin teams up with his mum for Christmas review as she likens him to an 'old Peter Kay'
- Leeds man alone on Christmas day posts heart-breaking plea on Facebook
- 'Magnificent' Leeds winter walk with park, farm and historic house
