“For several months I have been forced into debt by the bedroom tax being demanded to pay £13 a month that I don’t have. The council housed me and my daughter (aged 4) in this 3 bedroom flat as I was homeless and fled domestic violence. I have asked them to downsize me and they refuse which is causing my debt to increase by £60 a month. This is causing me to be depressed and left feeling trapped. They are now taking me to court to remove me from my home. I don’t have family around to fall back on. If I lose my home we will have nothing. I am at college trying to better my life and make a better future for my daughter. The better I do the more something happens to knock me back down. If they moved me and helped I wouldn’t be forced into debt and I could deal with my personal issues then i.e. no family and the loss of a child and maybe I would feel more settled. I feel like everything is slipping through my fingers and my life is just bad and unhappy.”We cannot thank Harriet enough for sharing her experiences with us.