Profiles

Karen and Darren

Names and ages: Karen and Darren aged 35 and 36; four children aged 15, 12, 8 and 2

Occupations: Karen works full time as a community link worker at a Children’s Centre and Darren works full time as a software tester

Household Income: £44,000 including tax credits

Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Housing: Private rented house

Current situation:

• Karen and Darren are heavily dependent on the tax credits they receive to support them financially. As of this April their tax credits are being cut from £90 to £20 per week, leaving them with a significant shortfall to meet from other parts of their already tight budget.

• They rent privately and have recently had to borrow from a doorstep lender to cover the deposit. The disappearance of 100 per cent mortgages from the market means that they cannot imagine ever being able to buy their own home.

• They feel that it has become harder to obtain the things that their parents could afford. Their wages haven’t risen but their costs of living have increased dramatically over the last few years.

Challenges:

• Building up some savings: they put aside £100 per month but always end up withdrawing it before the end of the month.

• Making up the money they will lose as a result a reduction in tax credits. This is putting them under considerable stress.

Aspirations:

• Being able to buy their own home

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