‘Universal Credit left me begging and forced to steal sandwiches to survive’ says 21-year-old who spent teen years in care Jordan Davidson was receiving £250 a fortnight and now gets £150 a month – with no money in his bank account he is relying on food banks

Jordan Davidson spent his teenage years in care. Like many young people growing up without family support, life has been a struggle for the 21-year-old.

But he says he’s keen to overcome the odds, land a job and create a better life for himself. He has just needed a helping hand.

At the start of the year, he was receiving £250 a fortnight in Employment and Support Allowance while looking for work.

The i newsletter latest news and analysis Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

But then Jordan, while he was staying in a hostel in Birmingham, was switched to Universal Credit – and he now receives just £150 a month.

He says the system has left him feeling hopeless and suffering from depression – and with no money in his bank account and weeks to wait for his next payment, he will be forced to rely on food banks and soup kitchens.

My benefits don’t provide enough to survive. It’s made me homeless and I’ve had to resort to begging. I’ve had to steal sandwiches from supermarkets because it was that or starve Jordan Davidson

Jordan told i: “I’ve got another two and a half weeks to go before I’m paid, I literally don’t have a penny. I have no money for food.

“My benefits don’t provide enough to survive. It’s made me homeless and I’ve had to resort to begging. I’ve had to steal sandwiches from supermarkets because it was that or starve.”

A House of Commons report earlier this week warned Government welfare reforms and Universal Credit are “causing unacceptable hardship” for claimants across the country, and that these are responsible for increased debt, rent arrears and food bank use.

‘Inhumane’

Jordan, who is originally from Hull, says that because of a breakdown in family relations he went into foster care at the age of 12. At 17 he became homeless, and started living in a hostel.

Last year he found himself living on the streets in London. “I was sleeping in undergrounds for some warmth,” he said. “It was horrible, cold and wet and I felt so lonely.”

He’s tried to work whenever he can – he was employed as a chef in a restaurant – but with a chaotic home life he had to give up that job to move where he could stay, and has sofa surfed with friends.

Earlier this year, he moved from Hull for a fresh start in Birmingham, where Universal Credit had been rolled out.

There is a standard wait of around five weeks for claimants to receive their first payment when they start claiming, which Jordan says is inhumane.

His monthly income from the benefit is so low now because advances in payments he took at the start of his switch have been deducted.

“You have to wait and you’re left with no money, or you get an advancement and suffer later on down the line,” he said. “I’ve been sat on my own in a pub for some warmth and it’s hit me I have nothing and no-one and no way to get any money.”

‘No-one to turn to’

Feeling like there’s no way out of the situation I’ve been in has really got me down, there is such a lack of support from the Government Jordan Davidson

Jordan managed to land a job between April and September but when his seasonal work at Haven in Flamborough, east Yorkshire, came to an end he once again found himself homeless.

He moved in with a relative in Hull, but that didn’t work out. “I felt I had no-one to turn to,” he said.

Then he got help from Carl Simpson, founder of Raise The Roof Hull Homeless Project who has set up the voluntary work and helped him to get into a house share.

Jordan said the controversial new benefits payment – created to streamline the system and replace six benefits with a single monthly payment if you ‘re out of work or on a low income – is failing people like him.

“Feeling like there’s no way out of the situation I’ve been in has really got me down, there is such a lack of support from the Government. It’s charities that are helping people to survive.

“Universal Credit is hitting people hard and just isn’t working.”

DWP defend scheme

However, the Department of Work and Pensions insisted that Universal Credit works for most people.

A spokesperson said: “The vast majority of claimants are paid in full and on time, and are comfortable managing their money. Advance payments and budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help.

“Universal Credit replaces an out-of-date, complex benefits system with cliff edges that disincentivised work and often trapped people in unemployment. Under Universal Credit, evidence shows people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer.”

Do you have a story about benefits? Email claudia.tanner@inews.co.uk