What an amazing experience it was to attend a meeting inside No.10 Downing Street with Covid Realities, CPAG, MPs, Cabinet Ministers and a group of friends from the project to discuss child poverty. We all put our thoughts across extremely well. The meeting was managed to perfection, I felt we were listened too and consideration was taken to all of our points and thoughts with very positive feedback, Apart from the fact this is something I will never forget there were good indications that we are being listened to at that changes will be made in a system that is simply not working. Thank you to all involved in putting this together at short notice. Lets all get going in order to end child poverty for good.

Today is freezing cold in Glasgow

Honestly it doesn’t bother me. I do try to have cash on me more often but I’m not a fan of having too much on me in case I lose it.

But I am aware that it benefits businesses more to pay by cash, so if I can I do pay by cash for smaller businesses. I’m not fussed on the larger businesses as honestly they don’t need that extra money in their pockets.

Struggling with costs, debt mounting up. And I’m deciding between giving my son a nice Christmas or paying more towards my energy prices

I find it easier to manage my money with cash, but struggle as there isn’t any cash machines near me that don’t charge.

Hi. I'm just answering the big question the week. Thanks very much. Yes, I do pay for things in cash at times and because it's hard to juggle the budget just using, what's in the bank because that can fluctuate so much. So cash for me is essential for me to keep a sort of a bit of a handle on my spending. It's really important.

And I do think that the government should require some companies to well, most companies to still receive cash as payment because for many of us on low budgets, it is the only way that we can manage what comes in and goes out of our house. And sometimes you know, one of the things that I find really problematic about paying with cash, is that for a lot of Trades and services you have to pay

With cash and that feels problematic to me but there we are. Anyway that's another story. But yeah, I feel like cash, it should be an option. I think that so many people would be shut out of getting any support If cash wasn't an option, you know, just getting by on a day-to-day basis.

Me and my son were out and there is a place where they only take card payments but I didn't have enough in my bank. I had 10 pounds and so I couldn't take my son in to climb, so that felt a bit problematic.

I luckily don't rely on businesses taking cash, however, I think many people do, in particular the elderly and those who are on the absolutely lowest incomes as they would eek money out to pay bills by taking cash out at beginning of the week and I think this should be easily facilitated. I think it will be terrible if we lose our access to cash. I think the following should always take cash:

supermarkets

convenience stores

the post office

childcare provision, toy & book stores

pet supply stores

charity shops

budget shops such as Poundland, Lidl & Aldi

car parks (esp. hospital ones)

hospital canteens

I forget pin numbers and passwords. I find it easier to use cash and count from my purse.

I have used card payments in retail stores which were declined due to technical errors and I was unable to withdraw from cash machine to purchase food.

Winter in north of Scotland gives us storms and power cuts.

I've been unable to use apps to top up pre payment meters in the home as no wifi and then pay points in local shops not working depending on which area of town was affected by the power cut.

I have had to walk across town in deep snow looking for a store with working wifi once power to the street I reside in is turned back on.

Need cash to use public toilets and the weekly farmers market takes cash only.

Removing cash payments is a control mechanism from the government. I worry about being completely controlled by the government. Already I'm expected to show evidence of bank statements to Universal Credit and questioned why cash amounts were withdrawn.

I understand that it's to Crack down on fraud, however it's the politicians defrauding the system as they back scratch in Tufton Street and avoid paying tax.

How do these corrupt politicians pay for their drugs?

How does a homeless person beg for enough to buy a hot drink without cash?

I have read up about social credit used in China. Not obeying and being punished by having power switched off or access to internet removed.

I have been controlled by my ex partner and the thought of thr Gov controlling every move I make impacts my mental health. I learned through my ex that money is power and he controlled what I was allowed to spend on food and ensured I didn't spend on myself on hair or clothes. I had to show him receipts of what I bought for our children. He was the bread winner and in his head that entitled him to treat me as unworthy with abuse, yet he dodged his tax payments from the business with loopholes.

He may as well sit in Westminster with the corrupt politicians, lying, gas lighting, claiming expenses and doing deals behind closed doors with business friends.

No rules for them and punishing the low wage earners who are made out to be doing wrong. I know how it feels to be disrespected by wealthier people. Judged and ostracized. I don't know if this will make me more resistant when we lose our human rights.

Yes always used to use cash to budget. Put it in an envelope, especially when away. And that way you know you had your weekly money for going out. I have now fully changed to fully digitalized. Now I love internet banking, it's great. But the only thing with card is you

you can spend quite easily which is the only drawback for me.

Personally, I find card a lot easier. I struggle when some place is cash only because of finding cash machines and also concerts and taking cash out. Your card can affect your credit rating as well. I saw on one of the credit agency scoring apps which was surprising to me.

But no, I believe the world is going to go cashless. I think it will be easier for 90% of us. It's just those with learning difficulties, Etc. That I think having cash would be easier to physically see what do you have and what do you have left? That could be the only advantage of keeping cash, but as I said for majority, it would be easier having a cashless society. As always, it's that Minority and with disabilities - physical or hidden - will be the ones to suffer. Whichever way. We go as a country.

Already struggling to be optimistic this winter, already the daily gas and electricity is hitting over £10 per day plus I haven’t been having the heating on much or high so we have to wear snoodies or dressing gowns with blankets over us, which yeah ok isn’t too bad but whilst your sat and finally warm, but then need to go make tea or do some housework it makes you not want too because leaving your covers obviously the cold then hits, it’s quite depressing, and sad that you can’t even be comfortable in your own home

“I’m sharing my story because it’s one of many that highlight the failures in our system and the devastating impact it has on families like mine. I was financially abused by my children’s father, and despite reporting him for years to the Child Maintenance Service, nothing was done to ensure my children received the support they were entitled to. Instead, I was told I was entitled to just £2.50 a fortnight for two children — an amount so small it’s insulting. Meanwhile, he lived a luxury lifestyle abroad, yet the system ignored this entirely.

In 2021, I lost one of my children to suicide. The grief was unbearable, and my mental and physical health have deteriorated since then. I have several long-term health conditions and am on a two-year NHS waiting list for treatment. Despite this, I am forced to survive on a benefit system that leaves disabled people and their families in poverty. My Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is supposed to help me manage my health conditions, is instead spent on basic necessities like food for my children.

I am unable to take medication to manage my mental health because I have autism and am extremely sensitive to the side effects of antidepressants. However, if I were to attend a PIP meeting and tell them I planned to use the benefit to buy food instead of managing my health, I would almost certainly be refused, as that is not what it’s meant for. Yet once accepted, the government leaves you with no financial support for the rising cost of living, forcing people like me to use PIP for survival instead of the purpose it was intended for.

I skip meals so my children can eat, and we regularly go without essentials like clothes, shoes, and hygiene products. The rate of benefits has not kept up with the cost of living, and the government’s failure to act leaves children in poverty, families in despair, and people like me struggling to survive.

There is a clear link between debt and mental health, and worrying about money every week has only worsened my mental health struggles.

To those in power: listen to people with lived experience of poverty. Families are suffering, and children are going without. It’s unacceptable, and it’s time for real action. No parent should ever have to experience this, and no child should grow up in a system that fails them so profoundly.”

I feel a lot like I've just stepped off a precipice and into a place I have no idea how to navigate.

I am managing so much in terms of voluntary and some paid work, and what it means is very soon I will have to become self employed. I feel a lot like this situation is so wrenching because I want to have a better life but the tax office want me to declare after just £1000 earnings, which will take months to reach at my current rate of earning. If I say to the DWP I am self employed, I start the rapid countdown to removal of support and to decision making around my income, which isn't realistic.

I feel so much like I can't keep living the way I am but the door to success is so firmly closed by these rules that are so precarious and difficult to understand. I feel trapped.