Hi Lizzie,

that's a good list of principles, all very important . If I had to pick out the most important to me, it would be 👥 Rights & Respect & 💖 Compassionate.

My experience with Social Security after losing my job of 30 years was lacking in both these principles.

I was treated like a SS leech! I have very strong work ethics and never thought I'd face unemployment after a Covid restructuring.

Applying for benefits, the way I was treated left me suffering long term poor mental health.

A system based on these principles would be non judgmental and one that has a dignified approach.

I don’t know why but I’m really looking forward to Christmas this year. Normally I dread it as it’s very costly but this year the children age 10 and 15 don’t really want much. They are so sweet. I feel very blessed.

September is nearly over

Summer is gone

There was a rabble of summer last week and I got to dry my clothes outside and that was bliss

I’ve had no heating and I don’t have a tumble dryer so without the good weather it’s impossible to dry the clothes.

Bedsheets and towels are the worst without working radiators or a tumble dryer.

Education is not free - there’s no such thing.

So far and not in my budget since term started at the start of this month, my daughter has had 2 GCSE music trips. £30 here and £20 there. Today another cost £13 for a careers advice chat. I got one of those for free in my day. Money money money. I need to find that money tree and soon LOL

Heating isn’t working

Housing association not coming out for 2 days

It’s lashing and freezing

I can feel the poverty now - I don’t even have any wee electrical heaters BRRRRRR

Seen speculation about dropping the 35 hours per week job search requirement... wish I believed there were government politicians with the practicality and common sense to take that on... all it does is sap the energy of those who are seeking employment, waste the time of those who are not, and burden businesses. I don't have a problem with living in poverty, so much as I have a problem with being deliberately trapped in it, by politicians with power and wealth.

Hello. Thank you for the big question of the week. What I can say is that there are a lot of changes. I'm looking forward to change. If there could be changes from the government, especially on the inflation, because it's really, really affecting. And this issue of two child limits. Two is also affecting because when you look at things, things are now very expensive. Even help, because I use food bank, even help from the food bank are now reducing. They don't want to give you much of things anymore. The things you might not need might be what you'll be getting at the end of the day, the things you are needing. You might end up getting a very little number of feed. So there are a lot of things. And it's, I think it's very difficult to feed these days. And, you know, when you are hungry, you eat. It's not a good thing for us to go hungry. So I think the, the government needs to help look into this because I know it started all from the inflation prices and from the recent war and all of that, but I believe there can be something to be, be done. So this is very affecting. And the child limits. So for my own part, these two are very important for the government to look into. Thank you very much for asking. Bye.

I feel from my own personal experience there is a lot I would like policy makers to understand and to know in terms of social policy and finances.

I have been pushed to my own personal limits mental health wise and have had to still carry on working has I have a mortgage etc.

Also now I work in prisons I feel that people leaving prison should be allowed some extra funding to support them getting rehabilitated in the community.

I know there is a massive government issue with over crowding in prisons and it would be more cost affective to keep people out of prison and provide assess to further support/funding to be able to help us do this job more affectively.

Feeling frustrated today, that wait times and red tape are preventing my son from accessing Autism and Adhd assessments and diagnosis.

While we wait he's In year 8 mainstream and after 2 1/2 weeks into the term he's already been isolated 3 times and now is suspended. The school are doing all they can to support his difficult behaviour but it's just not enough. I wish I was listened to before he went to high-school and I wish they had placed him in a specialist provision but he just didn't fit the criteria they said.

Kids with SEN are just being set up to fail because there just isn't the funding available to adhere to the EHCPs they are being given.

The extra fuel to attend all the meetings at his school 23 miles away is crippling me too. My own mental health is suffering and after my Inital appointment with a local talking therapies group they decided I needed a more specialised provision for neurodiverse people and that means more waiting.

Some days it would be nice to just get everyone in the car and take them for a McDonald's or bowling or something where we can just put our struggles aside for an hour and be present and happy In the moment together but it's not financially viable.

And as the weather gets colder it's going to get harder.

I'm sure tomorrow will seem more positive but today I'm just frustrated

Government is a catalyst for change as to improving its people's quality of life (e.g. job creations for young people, supporting vulnerable sector).

Prices for everything have been on the increase so the benefits need to reflect those changes.

The school my children go to, give support to vulnerable families in the form of trip discounts.