I was in the care system from the age of five until I was about 19 – mainly with one foster carer. Just after I finished my first year of university, I was officially discharged and no longer the state’s responsibility. In the two years that followed, I experienced homelessness, sofa-surfed and took out payday loans which I am still paying off nearly 10 years later.
So, I read about Wales’ new basic income pilot scheme with interest. Around 500 18-year-old care leavers will receive £1,280 (after tax) every month. There are no strings attached to the money. However, authorities hope it will help young people plan for the future instead of worrying about day-to-day living costs.
When social services said I was ready to become independent, I felt quite confident. A lot of care leavers do not get into university, and I already had. I also had a promising internship and was settling into London quite well. But living costs soon became an issue.
Before I became independent, I had just rented with university housemates and had part of my rent covered by the authorities. But things went south when my tenancy agreement for the first year ended. I ended up staying with one of my course mates for a few months as I didn’t have enough for a deposit to rent somewhere. That was a low point. I didn’t feel grounded or rooted. All my things were spread out with different people who I’d asked to look after bits and pieces as a favour. The person I shared a room with was nice, but obviously there was only one house key between us and it was difficult when we got back at different times. Her flatmates didn’t really understand why I was there either. Towards the end, I felt like I had overstayed my welcome, so I moved in with another course mate for about a month.
At the time, I was doing a few low-paid jobs so I could save up. It felt like a relief when I got offered a full-time job from my internship. Quite naively, I didn’t consider how it would fit around my studies.
I was doing all my coursework, but my attendance suffered. It was something embarrassing, like 20 per cent. I received regular emails that threatened to kick me off the course but I didn’t want to lose my job. Student finance didn’t feel like enough for me to live on.
After that first stint sofa-surfing, I moved into a place and lived alone. Paying the bills was just about manageable but it was very hard on my salary. Because I wasn’t going to university my friendships with my course mates weren’t strong enough to find housemates – especially part way through the year.
I had a meeting with my university, and we decided it was best that I retake the year. I left my job so I could focus and used payday loans and a credit card to help make ends meet. Truthfully, I didn’t understand what interest rates were, or what would happen if I fell behind on payments.
At this point, I got back in touch with an old social worker of mine who had kept in contact with me, even though I hadn’t been her responsibility since I was about seven years old. I told her I was struggling financially. New rules had come into place, which meant care leavers could receive support until they were 25.
Eventually, I got a new care plan which meant help with living costs and accommodation. But honestly, there was very little detail in it, and I didn’t feel very supported.
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Not long after, I decided to take on a different job opportunity. I thought the financial help I was getting would end once I left university in two terms and I didn’t want sofa-surf again.
Once I took the job, I didn’t get money from social services because I was working. That was fine – but then I got let go. The flatmate I’d found needed to move out too, which was terrible timing. I couldn’t afford to live there alone, so I contacted the council but heard nothing. So, I slept rough for three nights. I had a sleeping bag, but you don’t really sleep when you’re on the streets. I would go to restaurants and freshen up in their bathrooms during the day.
I got another payday loan to tide me over and put a deposit somewhere new but I ended up dropping out of university, which I feel bad about even now. I think I could have finished if I applied myself. But ultimately who would even have come to my ceremony? I’d only been with my last foster family for a year, and we’d lost touch. I was estranged from all my siblings.
Care leavers are vulnerable and do need financial support. So, the new Wales pilot is good in theory. But I would have appreciated budgeting advice when I left care. It’s little things like that which care leavers don’t get because we don’t have families to teach us. I don’t think I’m the only one who has ended up homeless, in a hostel or sofa-surfing.
A thousand-odd pounds is a lot at that age, especially when it’s not tied to staying in education. I think it would be better if it went towards housing. Hubs for care leavers where we could get support would make such a difference.
But financial support can’t fill the gap of not having trustworthy people you can turn to for advice.
As told to Izin Akhabau
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