The Challenges Of Living On Universal Credit

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been shot in black and white. Colour version not available.) Christine and Paul pose for a picture on October 23, 2017 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Christine says 'We lost our flat a few months ago and since then Ive been staying in a women's hostel and Paul has been sleeping rough, says Christine. We have been together for 17 years and it's hard to be separated but Paul didnt want the worry about me being with him on the streets and insisted I went to the hostel. Universal Credit was rolled out without any thought. We are just guinea pigs for the politicians who have no idea what its like to be in our situation. We had no money at all for eight weeks and Ive never had a full payment in all the time Ive been on it. I believe in God but Christmas is cancelled. Paul and I are just concentrating on survival. Feeding and clothing ourselves, keeping warm and looking for work'.The Newcastle West End Foodbank opened its doors in March 2013 and is now the largest in the UK giving out an of average of £10,000 worth of food to over 1,000 people each week. Last year the foodbank featured in Ken Loachs Bafta winning film 'I, Daniel Blake', which portrayed life on the breadline in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Tom Stoddart has photographed and interviewed people at the foodbank facing the challenge of living on the governments new Universal Credit as it rolls out across the city. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Getty Images)