Profiles

Emma and Darren

Names and ages: Emma - 32, Darren - 34, Twin girls - aged 2

Occupations: Darren is a train conductor, Emma is a full time mother

Household Income: £35,000 – including overtime & tax credits

Location: Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham

Housing: Private rented house

Current situation:

• The family have previously suffered from credit card debt, rising mortgage costs and Emma’s redundancy which eventually lead to repossession of their house and bankruptcy

• They are starting afresh in a rented home but with only Darren at work their monthly outgoings are exactly equal to their incomings – with little potential for saving or cutting back costs. They are very careful about what they buy and only socialise when they have money off vouchers.

• Darren works full time and takes all the overtime he can get, so it is difficult to find enough family time together. Emma has worked in the financial sector in the past and has numerous qualifications but finds it difficult to see herself finding a job which would both use her skills and fit around the children. She is currently waiting to see if the twins will get a nursery place for next year.

Challenges:

• Keeping afloat financially – month to month

• The insecurity of living in private rented accommodation

• Emma finding a job that uses her skills and can fit with childcare arrangements

Aspirations:

• To own a home again

• More time at home together as a family

• To stop worrying - and start saving

Listen to Emma and Darren being interviewed on Radio 4's The World Tonight

Listen to Emma and Darren being interviewed on Radio 4's The World Tonight again