“I can’t even afford a teabag. I think 100 times before spending money on things” – Life for regulars at Wandsworth food bank

By Sian Bayley, Local Democracy Reporter 

Anika is back at Wandsworth food bank for the third time in 12 months.

Her husband is a food delivery driver, but because he works on a zero-hours contract he can never be sure how much money he will make in any one month.

Anika unboxes the food package she has been given, which includes some teabags.

“Even this tea bag I can’t afford,” she says, sadly.

It has been a very difficult month for her and her family.

Anika says her family receives £1,100 in Universal Credit, and usually between £750-800 a month from her husband’s job if he can get work.

Rent is £750, council tax £77, and utilities £180.

There is never much left over, even on a good month, and caring for a baby is expensive.

The money didn’t quite stretch this month, and she has been referred to the food bank for some essentials to keep the family going.

Anika’s daughter is happily sitting in her pram munching down some satsumas she has been given by volunteers, occasionally babbling or tottering off to play with a little boy who is also at the centre today.

She is oblivious to her family’s difficulties.

Anika likes to fuss over her daughter, stroking her hair and straightening out her little dress, but she confides that she struggles to afford her nappies.

“Nappies like pampers are very expensive,” she says. “There should be more funds to support families.”

But Anika is clever, and tries to be as thrifty as she can.

She used to work at Sainsbury’s and says she knows what time to head down to buy products with their reduced stickers.

“I think 100 times before spending money on things. What I need is to buy food and have something to cover my body,” she said.

She sees her current struggle as a challenge, but remains hopeful.

“It’s an exam, a test by God,” she said.

“I came here to be in the country of the people I used to read in my books, Shakespeare, Coleridge, and Blake.

“The food bank is a good thing. We are getting help. It will get better,” she said.

On the other side of the centre is Babudeen, who fled war in Sri Lanka more than 10 years ago.

He says he came to the UK as a student, and was allowed to stay working as a carer while his son was considered a dependent minor, but is now battling the Home Office for the family’s right to stay in the country.

During this time he is not allowed to work or access public funds.

He is left with little choice than to use the food bank.

Dan Firth, manager at Wandsworth food bank, said Babudeen’s unusual situation has meant the food bank has agreed to help him and his family in the long term, with food parcels every two weeks.

“No-one should be left in this situation,” he said.

Babudeen explained that he originally won an appeal against the Home Office in 2014, as his son was still a minor and could not be asked to leave the country.

However, when his son turned 18, the Home Office said Babudeen’s son had not lived in the UK for more than half his life, and as such had no right to stay.

“My son doesn’t speak Sinhalese or Tamil, he speaks only English,” Babudeen said.

He said Muslims are persecuted in Sri Lanka and the family cannot go back there after hearing a family member had been killed.

Sri Lanka has seen mounting tensions in recent years. In April last year, jihadist suicide bombers attacked churches and hotels on Easter Sunday, killing more than 350 people.

Babudeen is frightened he will be forced to go back.

For him, even a precarious life relying on the food bank is still better than the situation at home.

Pictured top: A volunteer at Wandsworth food bank