Voices from the UK: Paul

Paul lives in Aberdeen, he was made redundant at the end of February 2009 from a full-time position. He’s been looking for work but he hasn’t found anything so far

“I’d been working at my old job for a year when I was made redundant. I’m not hopeful of finding work soon as its pretty bleak just now. There’s nothing out there – the government keeps on saying they’re pumping so much money into job schemes and new job centre ventures, etc, and companies have been awarded contracts to build affordable housing, but there’s no money to build. It’s all talk. Luckily my partner has a full-time job and that seems pretty secure, but she was hoping to go part-time as our son is 4 years old.

We bought a house about eight years ago but paying the mortgage is using up our savings. What will happen if six months from now our savings are gone and I’m still out of work?I’ve signed on but how can you live on £60 a week and pay all your bills?”

Click here to find out more about Families in Crisis.

Save the Children is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty. We are calling on the Government to invest at least £3 billion in the Budget on April 22nd 2009. Please show your support and send Alistair Darling, the Chancellor an e-card asking him to keep the promise and end child poverty in the UK.