The Walker Family: Struggles and Resilience in Poverty

Kelly's family struggles with poverty but finds strength and resilience in their close-knit bonds.

### Struggles and Resilience: The Walker Family's Journey Through Poverty
* 🏠 Kenny shares his life in Durango, where financial struggles make it difficult to **provide for his family**, reminiscent of the despair depicted in the 2000 documentary about Kelly and her sisters **living in poverty**.
* 🎥 The documentary highlighted the challenges faced by a family of eight in a condemned housing estate, showcasing their feelings of **worthlessness and hopelessness** amidst their grim living conditions.
* 📉 Despite a pledge from the Prime Minister in 1999 to end child poverty, over **13 million people still live in poverty in Britain**, including Kelly and her family, who continue to face hardships.
* 💪 In 2011, Kelly, now 20, reflects on her past struggles while working full-time in a care home, earning **just over £11,000 a year**, and strives for **independence** despite her family's challenges.
* 👩 Kelly's sister Amy, now 22, also works in the care home, having faced her own **rebellious past** and **aspirations that shifted** due to their family's financial struggles.
* 👩 Their mother, Max, has battled depression and financial difficulties, relying on benefits while raising her daughters, and reflecting on the **hardships that have shaped their lives**.
* 💔 With the ongoing economic challenges, Max's attempts to secure a stable job have been met with setbacks, leaving her family to **navigate the struggles of living on benefits during tough times**.
* 🎉 Despite their difficulties, the family's bond remains strong, and they cherish the moments together, highlighting the **importance of family support** amidst the ongoing battle against poverty.

hello, my name is Kenny, and I live for my family in Durango. We haven't got that much money to get food. You go shopping, the French despair in 2000. I TV made the award-winning documentary Kelly and her sisters about a family of eight struggling to cope with a life of poverty on their condemned housing estate. Them, I just feel worthless. People just go back to your estate and rot. The story of six young girls trying to make sense of their grim conditions touched the nation. It's been a nightmare ever since we've lived here. We've had these trouble. It's done, and it's just like rain clouds just came over and rained on your bed all along. It's a new house, a new area, just to get out of here. In 1999, the Prime Minister made a pledge. Our should be the first generation to end a trial poverty forever. A lot has changed in Britain since then, yet the number of people living in poverty is still over 13 million. But what about Kelly and her family? Is the last decade led them

deeper into hardship or have they escaped their past. We'll get through it one day. That's it. What's a big miles, Becky? Not. It's 2011, and the family have once again opened their doors to the cameras to show us what's become of Kelly and her sisters. Please, I'm Kelly. I'm 20, nearly 21, and I'm the star of Kelly, her sisters, and always will been. When Kelly was 10, her family was stuck in their three-bed house. This is dad's bed. This is my bed, and this one's Becker's. I'm a dead man. DS from kitchen doors just dialed all the kitchen door, two planks of wood, and then put these two aside. It was good times, don't get me wrong, but a lot of bad times. You know, it used to use a blower. Who's that? That you know. You can't, you don't remember some of the things that happen there, but unfortunately, you do. You always remember it, and so we're gonna be there. I found

this fungus. When I'm sorry, I was got scared because it might grow loads over the wall. It's gonna start growing up it. I have to sleep with a fungus on my bed, or we really, really want a new house. Oh, I feel like crying because of this, because it's horrible and just not good for us. We need a full bedroom, a five-bedroom house, and I really need it, of course. Um, we want to just live our life floor everybody else's. I mean, I went to sick form in Miami school, but I couldn't carry on because of the trouble at home. I took after my mom, you know. It just wasn't, wasn't nice. She's in a bad place, and I had to look after her. Kelly's moved out of her mom's home now and rents a flat in Birmingham's inner-city area of Spark Hill. Since I moved out, a lot from independence of a leader, it really books for confidence and really discuss. I say, yeah, I've got the applies. It's not much, but still watt home, and then her dad.

Despite dropping out of college, she has a full-time job. She earns just over the minimum wage and makes eleven thousand pounds a year in a care home for the elderly. My job means everything to me. It means life. It means everything. Here we are, ladies, one tea, no sugar. I look at the residents I care for as if they were my mom or my dad. No, I get up at half 4:00 in the morning just to get here for supper. It's crazy, but laughing the answer, yeah, it's definitely when you have a good shift. Kelly's older sister Amy is 22 now and works in the same care home. It's a far cry from what she dreamt of doing as a child. Well, all do PhotoPass benefit. I'm gonna pee in archaeologist 'cause I love the burn school that understood or two bones. I found archaeology. I'd still enough to do that, but they're not. Then I got freaked out by scorpions and OH.

though and the spa leaders and mmm and the musky tones and my comfort. Oh no. When she was young, Amy's rebellious side looked like it might hold her back in life. Needs to be got off lightly. I miss been really low. She's been in detention loads of times, and I'm not saying I'm gonna teach a sourcebook teachers blog Duke and open a book. She's the one that keeps bat chat in him. Did not suit a tie ball the first time at Cross lesson for her cross p.m. registration cross level 5 from. She said to me, head open or if because you're lonely and up got me on the dog because we saw what my mom went through, the struggles of money, the struggles of bringing up children, every with the struggles of partners, everything that she's been through, we've witnessed, and I didn't want that to happen to any of us. I wanted to have a stable job, have my own home that's not regaled with mold and fall in her power, and be able to know.

where my next meal was coming from and to be able to treat myself and, you know, have the luxuries of Lourdes. For one, for that, you gotta work for it. Yep, got a wash, right? Nothing comes for free as well, gentlemen, right? Yeah, I'm not going to now scene. We're doing our mpq story to give us that extra qualifications, get us up one step up the ladder. It would give me a big confidence, basically four paths. Definitely, I'll block. I can do anything now. I will be walking up hospitals like, Hello, Kelly's mom. Max was 16 when she had her first baby. As her daughters grew up, she was battling to give them the basics in life. I always make sure that they stop for a hot dinner at school because I'm on benefits. They get a free dinner when they come home. I can't afford to put another hot meal into their bodies. Mum's depressed because she's got no money, been stealing in the past until, you know, I don't obey her anymore. If you weren't

for the kids. Then, you know, I wouldn't be. I look back now, and it's like watching a documentary about someone else's life because I was that. It's that dark and that dim in that place, you know, thinking of leaving your kids. That's just awful. And I mean leaving him as in committing suicide. My mom, she used to pop by face on all the time, but I think me out of all, if I may so, notice it a lot. And I used to carry around with me knowing that my mom wasn't happy. I'm worried about my mom. All of us are. She's owned tablets because I Ross in 2022 million packets of antidepressants were prescribed in England to people like max ten years later. That number hit nearly 43 million. I've come off taking the pills now. It's new been a year, and I'm so happy. People say all tablets don't turn to them, but they help me, you know. It's not for everyone. No, it's not, but for me, it worked. She's getting worse large. I think my

mum's doing really well. I not all respect her because she's tried her best to get us to a house. It's not her fault that she couldn't find a perfect house, but she says to us she's really gonna try again. If she fights on, hooray. I just got moving, get off stuff, that's a move, get into the van, and well begun. Eight years ago with the council, moved Kelly's family from their condemned housing estate to a semi-detached house in a suburb near Solihull in southeast Birmingham. Five-bedroom house in the middle, I caught scream, luckiest girl alive. I loved him from what we had to these, well at least my palace. When I first saw this house, I was amazed, don't think it was normal. I didn't think I was gonna come and live here, so this is too posh, may look coming from that. These, he was just, oh my god, it was amazing. I just run on the house for the whole day. I remember in 2000, Kelly's mom, Max, was

trying to work things out with her second husband, Nigel. Two years ago, they split up. No, I, Joe, we drifted apart. There is nothing left to talk about, was nothing left for us there. And to be honest, it's the best thing we, either of us, have ever done. Nigel is the father to the two youngest daughters, Lauren and Becca. Becca is now 13, and Lauren is 11. They live at home with single mum Max, who's 41. Nobody eats. It's that one. No, it's not like that one. It's something Max has spent seven of the last 11 years living on benefits. A suit pockets a bear after rent and child support. Max now gets 15 pounds more a week on the dole than she did in 2000. I've got to get Becca's birthday present, concer, but he's on their 21st, so that's like 40 pound, about a hundred and thirty quid. You got 90 pound after to live on for two weeks. It's not a lot. I just want to be able to support my

family be able to just live, die to die, and not have to worry where the next meal, money, whatever is coming. You know, we have to literally budget every single day. When they were little, Max couldn't afford new clothes for her girls, like Kelly's younger sister Jade. They'd have to make do with what they could find in charity shops. Rockaway, he had civic. Jade is 18 now. She lives with mom Max and helps her out with the bills. Guys, really good. She pays like my TV license and stuff like for her input. She doesn't have to. Most 18-year-olds of BR club' domestic were driving general homework. Jade's out of work just as youth unemployment hit a 17-year high. And like her mom, she's on the job hunt. I'm gonna page. It's just uh, I went college first time to do Beauty and that didn't work out because mom went very well. So I came back towel and went back to do a childcare call and that didn't work out either. Doo doo nearly a whole year of being out of work.

It just seemed really bad luck being a 19-year-old and like you know well you might select college and I just never suck at it and now look where it's got their rocket there in the end. I used to work in the care home and I loved it. I just felt I've got Southworth I could hold my head to power and they work all. I left my care job in February of 2009. It was a marriage breakdown and I just couldn't cope. I just couldn't juggle - at first it was hard and I haven't been in work suits yeah but it's not for the one to join died yeah funeral ranging job in Sully oh there's two positions go me better hmm I reckon I could get that. They are like gold for them to come up there like goals cuz they don't run me over toys. I'm really excited each that's really made my day. It really has made my day just getting one real up my my own good cry not I'm gonna get it but you know I was and

if I'm ice, I sell myself a really good funeral service arranger, but I'm qualified to do it, so why not yay nothing could be back at work if she gets the job. Max will no longer have to live a life relying on benefits. In 2000, Kelly's mom Max was one of just over a million people claiming unemployment benefit. Today, almost 1.6 million people find themselves in the same situation. If we don't get any more now, you shoot us next week. I don't what I'm gonna do for your birthday. It's not nice being in that position because you can't get what you want than that, but we have to live with that. We always at hope. We always thought, you know, and I'll what's it gonna be a lot when were older. Is it gonna get better, but we all wanted to make something of ourselves, so I'm just not doing a hair hair hair clips clips clips in her house. She loved Mira Mira Mira Mira after Mira Slammers. Kelly's eldest

sister and is now 24. When I left school, I went straight into college and did hairdressing for about five, six years. Now I've been working in the barbers' sloka news. Gonna be a hairdresser from that there. She works part-time and makes 90 pounds a week. Sam lives half a mile from her mom, max with partner Nicky, a painter and decorator. Together they bring home 19 and a half thousand pounds a year. That's cool building websites. We've been together for eight years, reasonably good enough. Was that I look like it, you know, gothic and all that. You didn't really use more skytower, yeah. So she wasn't really attracted to that, yeah, but you do ask me, yeah. I thought if I played here some shares, the guy for a while, no ice though. It's a nice story to think that we were from school and we're still together now, you know. Hopefully it will always be like that. July in avert God knows how it was to get to aspire to on the wrinkly salmon.

Nikki planned to tie the knot next year. Although they can't marry, gay couples in Britain have been able to enter civil partnerships since 2005. All I've ever wanted to know was a partner, house, a baby. Last year, Sam gave birth to a baby boy, Bailey. I was looking on the internet, see from other people what they'd done, but it was so expensive and whatnot for all these different things, and to go to London and get it all done. It was not ten grand. We had Bailey through artificial insemination at home. Luckily, we knew somebody. He was a good friend and helped us out. The toy secretary, cool yes. British children night. Bailey can cost over ten thousand pounds to raise in their first year, over half Salmon Nikki's annual income. At the start of this century, the economic boom changed the face of many British cities. Central Birmingham was regenerated as more money led to more consumerism. Even for Kelly's older sister Amy, being a kid, I always wanted to lock fit in with the crowds, have named clothes, you know, and things.

like that in when you see kids walking around and they have got everything. You get very envious of them because it's all. How come I can't ask that? You know how come I've go living this home. You've got a lovely warm home to go back to and I haven't. You know I've got. I've got a walk around and not second-hand clothes and stuff because we can't afford to live. And yet they're walking around in they're falling and they all get bullied for it. You know they shouldn't be bullying me if anything I should be bully in there with me. They went to me or look what you wearing. You got no you ain't got no trials and all that and nine trainers. We ain't got nothing. It just made me upset. And look Jenny sometimes goes up to means because all you little yeah it's not nervous but I don't listen. Time is your special time. We haven't got you what you want to but we've got you some presents right. So welcome loaded

flock. I'm a millionaire. I'm gonna take something, spend money on her and me. Obviously, I'm gonna buy myself some nice clothes. You know I ain't got really much nicer. Is it real? I just bought them. They sure. I've just bought them. Like Kelly's older sister Sam, Amy has a child of her own to look after now. She had daughter Imogen 18 months ago with her boyfriend James. Hello, do you want to work here? Imagine, yeah, work with Dad, a chief adore being in the bush. Dare blow, you want to go walkies? I first met James when I was applying for a job in Iceland. Let you get back to your hard work. Someone said to us all, You two are gonna get to him in a couple of years. And what up in there? You looked after me. I did all right. I dunno, I was your knight in shining armor. They rent a 2-bedroom flat three miles from Amy's mom, Max. Together they make over 25,000 pounds a year. I play monster less than

the national average, but eight and a half grand more than they get on benefits. The house I grew up in was absolutely atrocious compared to where we lose grown or was it Doug. I've been going up in the world. I mean, our old count Amy is going up in the world as well because I've actually accomplished being a mummy. I'm a good mom, you know, hopefully. Am I a good mommy, Liggett? You know that she looks curly. It's a no laughing. Oh, it's made me a better person being a mummy. I do want to give her a better life, some than what I had. I want to take a lot to Disneyland and places like that book. I don't. I don't want to spoil her either. I don't want her to turn into an arrogant person because she's always had what she wanted. Uh, I'll see you again, Mrs. Beeping Danny John. I wanted. I always thought when I got with her, I thought, You've had a tough upbringing, so now let me show you how you can live.

another way and have lured treats and holidays, and I can take your places you would in the scene. I mean, you give in to Floyd and anger, and yet you loved it. So you enter Turkey, Vivian, and Eid. You should put him under here. Hey, what was said to James? I want a baby before I'm 25 because you can enjoy it and the more and grow with them as well. She's all I've got, four sisters. I mean, I've only got one, and I thought, whoa, this is a big family. Just don't try to noise all these women because you go against one of them, you got that luck to deal with. That's why you just don't bother. So fine, oh yeah, a lot. Yep, the walk you enough to give your clothes. Everybody sort of getting to each other. You can feel the tensions building up between us all. In 2000, the strains on Kelly's family only seemed to worsen with the added pressures of Christmas. Well, now it's not the nineteen hundreds or something, but

you know we've got a big family, so you have to put up with it. I'm afraid we're not going to keep every right bedroom house. I really, really, really want a tech support as Moe. I've got enough money to buy, oh my dad or me of a dad. I don't want you looking around thinking they sent a Christmas picker shutting. You don't want to have been a nasty how something at Christmas, do you want somewhere we could be happy, and it wasn't, wasn't happy time at all. Hope you have a happy crew / a lovely day, lovely pudding. I wish I were nothing lovely, lovely, lovely. Oh Millia, all the looms in the world in love like dogs, 'cause we're not having look vocal torn in this house. It's December the 10th, 2011, at Max's no Jai. This is wicked afar many. We are Christmas is just around the corner. No, no, no, put it down. Oh, your rough eh. That be quantizer. Your hand needs to go above the doodle. Okay.

but if you know what you're doing, boy, you're coming out. We'll just have to be exactly the whitewash aster. That's exactly why I'm doing it 'cause of this last joint you didn't do last year, so I don't want any part of it. Is the middle where the middle nine gone? Kellie's bah humbug at the moment, so whatever's happened in this pasture, she's just changed. She doesn't want anything to do with it. You sure know why? No, don't bother. The Christmas cost too much super having such a big family. That'll be the middle da ring might. Why I think this is where my mom doesn't like it. She hates the fact I look after number one, but I have to. I'm on me own. She's got a lot of people beyond death. I can be quite selfish sometimes, but that's because I have to be. I can't give her my last tenner, and then I'm something, nothing. Yeah, I forgot I was forced to move out. I think it was a mutual thing, like my

Mama's like leave, and I was like, oh well. I was a non-doing, put it that way. I've drug primal rents. I had nothing left, didn't I? Didn't go very well. I was on medication for depression, so I had to get money from somewhere. I had nothing left, and that's when this company popped off last year. Kelly joined the growing number of people in Britain who took out a payday loan, where yearly interest rates can be over four thousand percent. It sounded like a really good idea at the time. It's unlogged. You only borrow this much to get utilities died. It's fine, pipe back. You won't need it again. First time I took a loan out, it was fifty pounds over yar. It's progressed to nan hundred pounds, which took all of my wages at my bank, and I've got nothing left. It's a vicious circle. Whether I take my YG's each month, and then I go back on their website, take all my wedgies back, and then they take it again.

and then it's just it's not worth it. Not all. I wish I never did it. To be fair, I've still got on me life. I mom struggled with us very little, and now I'm struggling, and it shouldn't be like that because I'm working. I've got to pinch from other people a lot. My friends have been helping me out, and I'm a mum. I think every month, I'm not gonna be like it next month. I won't be like your next bloody arm every single month. Give me kiss. It's mid-December and three weeks since Max applied for the job at the funeral directors. Might be long. Okay, yeah, you'd be good for two giant legal girls, so you light up. I keep thinking, or is it, is this meant to be? Am I gonna go back into the funeral industry again? The anticipation is absolutely killing me. The DSS money doesn't go anywhere. It comes and it goes. I mainly tulip loans. They go through foods. If I buy crisps, they're gone within two days, and that's

24 bug nuts kids for ya. You know, I mainly the Greek history. They're just, are sometimes bills don't get paid, sometimes my electrical go and after see in the dark for an island and I can get money but that's part pastor beam on d6 in 2000. Mum Max found herself trying to survive without benefits. The Walker family, a fight in jeopardy just because somebody can't be bothered to our information on. So now we've done it when we're gonna get paid. We can't go shopping, we can't do anything until they sorted the money out. Where I'm gonna find my money from, from a presence. I don't know if money was short, Max would porn her jewelry to get by. 11 years later, it's still away she gets cash in a crisis. Beginning of this show, the DSS, they'd sort of messed Mike lying about and me and Jade went two months, we've no money, so we'd pawned all our jewelry again. It's just horrible but we had to rising gold prices and the credit crunch have

seen the number of porn brokers in Britain rise by almost 60% in the last three years. Sam said that she would borrow me and dye the money to go and get it out for good. It's like an early Christmas present. It works at the moment, Sam. She just pushes us along. She's really good light up when I get a job. That will be my turn. Thank you. This is all the jewelry for in which oft of. It's absolutely chuffed disturber fingers are not safe. That's what I thought though. We're going to be able to get them on. It's the only thing we own. Their own houses or cars expensive. This thing Lyon loosely and it's ours and it's personal to us. We're just complete. It means we're on the up now rather than back. Linda vulvar. Yeah, it's silly very significant to us. Yeah, it's good dye my mum's mom. That's our nanny. She's always been there for Ron. She then give us some money and she got through and now she says this one is.

gonna last me to tell mom dad all right it's nice yeah every time my mom hasn't got no money she just comes over and goes I had beets. I feel as though I'm doing more duty for Maxie and her grandchildren for the last 11 years. Max has been borrowing money from her mum, Nana Marilyn, buying food from catalogs. Might have been more expensive, but it let Max spread the cost over the year. Can you for that one with drinks one did not you know in 99 374 awake right gonna worry about that till next year. So having this hamper out of the catalog means the kids can have some sort of a decent Christmas, you know, even if the DSS mess off. Recent hard times have reduced the spending power of many families in Britain, with the prices of goods now growing faster than wages. More people will struggle to make ends meet like Max. She didn't get the funeral arranges job and will spend another Christmas on benefits. I can't help myself. I'll just stay so but I have to get it.

telling me what would you like my love in this. Okay, yes, thank you, love. We did it. Shopping normally looks like this, to be fair. It's what's he like at this time of year that makes the difference. Has it sold four DS, and it's been so much fun. This is not ritual, isn't it, Jaya? Have a drink when we get back, II. I was horrified to find out that there's 400 calories in one of them. One, what is that about? I can't afford to go out and buy Christmas presents, so what I do is put the whole of Christmas. I'll buy everything from food and the drink and everything, me and I worked together with our payments over Christmas. Just put on the doll, open up, you don't really can't not have Christmas. I was saying to Jade, actually, the other day, I think even though we're on the doll, I think sometimes we may have the easier than other people because I have to wait till the end of the month for their money, even though they got a job and they work bloody hard.

for it, but we know we've got more money coming in two weeks. I only have to go short on my a time before I get paid again. 145. What we've done is basically used all our money on two weeks shopping on four days and an OB summer nude, and I'm a the after part isn't an issue because they'll help us their Christmas is sorted out. Oh, it's Christmas Eve at mum Max's tonight, the annual family get-together, and Nana Marilyn's here, bless. Don't do not see me, that's gonna be marina. I'm Jack. Yeah, all the family are together except for Kelly. She's had a row with her mum and Jade and is refusing to come round. I give up. She's probably about twice what she's taking out a lot. Okay, I'm not defending. I'm not evil. No, I don't want to go after Nick of a shame my folks here. She's treating me like who and all the girl - no, it's not just me. I didn't deserve it. I didn't attack her.

but I'm gonna watch her side. She called, dragged, am I balled up, and obviously that's her in me because she thinks I have to have judged, stick up for me when I don't. Obviously then Jane and then Jade went off c-murder are because of what she said. It's just stupid sterling understand why she's at at the moment after we already don't at the end of the day. She can't be here for her sisters and her nan who's always been there for her. It's her fault not having more Christmas Roman because she doesn't want to be around me. It's Christmas day at a me and James's Merry Christmas because I'm probably gonna cop it a cool money come and say what's in the living room that I stay immature. Oh, it sees daddy's first Christmas and it's probably the best Christmas we've had in a long time, isn't it? Mm-hmm. Oh, the magic has come back. You definitely. It's just lovely seeing his little face and also

it would just be playing with the wrapping paper, but he's playing with all the toys. It's brilliant. It's all about the expression for them, and a couple of drinks, some food, a plugger, a slippery nipple. Don't do it, no Beeson. How it curdle eyes, taste it. Don't you look at it, look at the bottom beat. I still just have one mom. Does you for bed do it? What now? You gradually got an economist smelly. It's beautiful start different. What do you think? That's how I know G Celine. Today's real fight, no. Oh my guys, I'm wearing that today. I'll release the day you mask while she loves me. Who knows, yeah? Does not fill out Christmas to me. Me and my mom are not speaking. We've had a little bit, but to do, but I don't know how I'm going to resolve this. I don't know what to say to her. The past year, I've had nothing but all the time, nothing will smoothly and caesarian my.

mom, we've always got money issues, or so we think. It's happening. You always constantly fought trying to find someone to fall back on. And I'll see when even more position and you're on your own, and you're not talking to your family. You have no one to fall back on. So when things go wrong, you can't talk to someone and say, Well, this has happened. Can you help me? Because just does it happen. It's been a bad year. We always have a bad year. It doesn't matter what's thrown at us. It just gets worse all the time. Arguments happen, money troubles. It just gets spoiled out of control. It really does. No Christmas presents. Sure, I was gonna get the puppy something and my little sisters. But then I went to the bank and it was all gone. That's a guy in Japan or out just strap a bag baseball the family. And she should be here. She'd be enjoying all these swivels, Raven. I can't force her to be around everyone. She doesn't want to be around.

that she just wants to be around, just being bloody stubborn. I think I'm missing my mum the most. I feel guilty for what's happened, but I know it wasn't just my fault. I notice mum's as well and guides. I still feel bad for it happening in the first place. I really do. I've got happy Christmas. I would love it. I would love it said you. I've had a few. I'd love you to be here. Stop being so stubborn like me. You can comfort Indians if you want to or just come over later. I love you and a doll and lose you. Don't be a dingbat haha. It's Christmas. Lots of kisses and she's just poor. I will come over in a bit. Gotta get ready but only if you promise not to do anything stupid ever again okay. I'll Adonai about this time. I don't know it's the start of a new year. Kelly never turned up at Christmas and things have taken their toll on mum. Max pressures of Christmas and everything just got on top of me and sort of had a

mercy wobble just completely broke down things we Kelly didn't help the argument we had any way I can describe the Wobblies it just feels like you used to drowning not yet someone's put their foot on your head and you can't breathe it's the most awful is feeling ever you know you start being thoughts that you shouldn't be here which is just totally selfish we can't help you horrible isn't it I've been sort of battling to pressure trying to be strong for my family and stuff there wasn't strong enough to to keep Gary the doctors put me back on my Prozac let some snip tiny healing and green things they're just a miracle but Max's problems are far from over she didn't look for work over Christmas and her job centers been in touch it sighs there we cannot pay you Jobseeker's Allowance from the 24th of december 2011 to the 6th of january 2012 because you did not actively seek work.

basically, I said you don't care if you're depressed. Get out there and find a job. You didn't look for work for two weeks. You're full, so you know, so far. If she can't sort out her problems with the dole office, Max will lose two weeks' benefits, but family life must go on. Rosie, dog head up, please. Thank you. It's my grandson's first birthday today, so for a little surprise, me and Jada decided to go as clowns. Where the entertainment? What? I'm very sure. Yes, you did good. I'm their mom. I'm supposed to be there to support them, bring in the money. I'm supposed to be there, everything, you know. I don't want them worried. I don't want to ruin their dad. They've got their own life, Susan. I have to worry about me. Yeah, me. Nicky will help my mom out. She's got it. Might do for about three, four weeks. There's no money, you know. We get in boys are. We're fine. We all put together a number, a lot, but I

think my mum doesn't like to borrow money, and she never likes to lean on people. It affects us because we don't like seeing alive to value there. We take this back down my mom and Kelly. They're both very stubborn. I'm aware of a few debts that she's in. She got herself in a ruptor. Now she's trying to get self back out. All Kelly's wages were taken to clear her payday loan last month. It will be two weeks till she gets paid again. I've literally had to pinch off everybody this month just to get through the month. But so it wants to get paid. It should start to pick itself back up again because I don't owe any money as such that will be taken straight out me bank. It's on my terms when and how I pay them. It's controlled. I'm trying to put more lives back on track. I like the fats how strong I am, but later on doesn't bring back your family, huh? That's exactly what I said to someone yesterday. I said I'd love to fat.

tail stronger. I am. I said yes, but it doesn't bring back my family, does it? To get her two weeks' benefits back, Max must prove to the dole office that she was too ill to look for work over Christmas at sick notes. Luckily, my doctors have sorted it out, and they've backdated it for me. I just burst into tears because I think it means everything to me because it means that my rental hides my council tax to be paid, and I'll get back to eat Monday, and I can pay everybody back in of baroque money off to get us through. It could take a week he protected eyes. That's the golden question when. When I was growing off pic, I felt on this. He's gonna sign me bad, but I did feel like the black sheep of the family. I didn't feel like I fitted in. Hey, I don't think I've been a kid. I'm not your mommy. Last time I felt like a child as well as about seven. My mom's already stressed by all Osler arguing all the

time yeah yeah yeah that's all we do. Even I'll do it. I would say to myself back in the other the film. I'd say be a kid, go and play, stop worrying something so grown-up, going play, don't get de, going to swing from trees. Okay boys, sweets and eaten - you feel sick at 21. I should be growing up, passing all the time. That's what 21 roster me, no I'm an old lady. I work, work, sleep, eight, work, sleep, eight. I would love to go to Australia. I'd love that, that, that would be a brilliant holiday. I know it's hot. I look at big spiders and the peach isn't always apparent though. I don't know, I've never been abroad, sold know how hot hot weapon would fail. So this two out first I and then think about holidays and nice things. So it goes its January the 10th at Max's, that's the dogs one should know that a little bit out softly. Everyone Jessie's gusting, she like it's not ease.

My mum's 65th birthday will go out for a meal. There's a little surprise waiting for this. Everyone's gonna be there, and she doesn't know anything about hate surprises, so I don't kill me after these. I know how to go hmm no, I'm out tongue cast up game you told. Are you wearing them at the size of on their own? You're not supposed on should she make it tonight's a chance for Kelly to heal the rift with her mum. My girls, they are my world. I could not miss this best light Christmas present ever. I didn't want to swallow me prize, but no way Arthur. I feel better for it though. It killed me, don't get me wrong, it did because I'm so stubborn, but you know you have to do things you don't want to do sometimes, and good will come out of it, which as we've seen, good has come out of it. I've got my family back, so best thing in the world. I can't believe we've actually recorded these are me and my mom sat down and spoke a lot.

of issues will spoke about sort of thing is our biggest lesson. I've learned is to keep my mouth shut sometimes. I just sit there and look at everything you did. You recall from me. Are you really part of me because they're just such strong people. It's really nice to look around and there's every single one of us here. Everyone's commenting. Everyone's pulled together for the whole thing to happen. It's put your son from my mum despite the drive to wipe out child poverty. It's estimated that by 2020 nearly a quarter of this country's children will be living below the breadline. The word poor and austere just don't go together. We could be thousand times worse than what we are if you've got such an amazing family like I have. My mom, my children, and now my grandchildren. You don't leave money on the riches gonna live or change anything. I've been through because it is mining oil. I won't be stronger if I am to die. If you work for by the lift because it gives us a

good shove in the right direction. I mean, it is. I think if you're going back in 11 years' time, I think that we'd be the same. It would be a few more additions to the family, but we'll still be as tight as we are now, and we won't change. No way we were change. So, Trevor McDonald is off to discover what exactly the mighty Mississippi has to offer. That's new to ITV1 tomorrow night at 9:00. Two men are putting themselves in a lot of danger in Mayday Mayday at 11:15 after the news next.

Kelly And Her Sisters Grow Up

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Kelly and Her Sisters: A Struggle Against Poverty

Kelly and her family have faced a life of poverty in a condemned housing estate, with the documentary about them touching the nation's heart.

Despite a government pledge to end child poverty, over 13 million people in Britain still live in poverty.

Now in their 20s, Kelly and her sister Amy have moved out, found jobs in a care home, and are working hard to create a better life for themselves.

Max, a single mother of three, has faced financial hardships and mental health struggles while trying to provide for her daughters.

Despite living on benefits for most of the past 11 years, she has worked hard to secure a stable home for her family.

Her eldest daughter, Jade, now 18, is also facing unemployment and is actively trying to find work while supporting her mother with bills.

Struggles and Aspirations: A Family's Journey

A 19-year-old reflects on their difficult path, from working in a care home to seeking a new job after a marriage breakdown.

Kelly's family has faced financial challenges, with her partner and sister working low-paying jobs while raising a child.

Despite the struggles, they remain hopeful for a better future and have found love and support in each other.

The Challenges of Parenthood and Family Dynamics

Amy, a new mother, is determined to provide a better life for her daughter Imogen than she had.

She and her boyfriend James are working hard to make ends meet, but the pressures of raising a family and the strain of Christmas are taking a toll.

Despite the challenges, Amy is focused on being a good mother and is determined to give Imogen experiences and opportunities she didn't have.

Struggling to Make Ends Meet: A Personal Story

Kelly turned to payday loans in desperation, leading to a vicious cycle of debt.

Max, facing financial struggles, relied on pawning jewelry and borrowing from her mother to get by.

The rising cost of living and stagnant wages have made it increasingly difficult for families like Max's to make ends meet, leaving them in a constant state of financial struggle.

The speaker discusses the struggles of affording Christmas presents and managing finances, feeling that their situation may be easier than those with jobs.

Family tensions arise, particularly with Kelly's refusal to attend the family gathering after a row.

Despite the challenges, the speaker finds joy in their child's first Christmas and reflects on the difficulties of resolving family conflicts and the impact of money troubles.

Struggles and Stubbornness: A Family's Christmas

The narrator is missing their mum and feels guilty about recent events, while also acknowledging the struggles of family members.

Max is facing job-seeking challenges and financial difficulties, leading to lost benefits.

The narrator's strong desire to support their family is met with stubbornness from both their mum and Kelly, creating additional tension.

The speaker reminisces about childhood and the pressures of growing up, expressing a desire for a carefree life.

They share plans for their mother's 65th birthday surprise and the importance of family in their life.

The speaker reflects on the impact of poverty on children and emphasizes the strength of their family bond, believing it will remain unchanged in the future.