It’s heartbreaking, and honestly infuriating, how many hardworking people I see struggling every single day just to keep their heads above water. Paying bills, buying food, getting dental treatment — these things should be basic rights, not luxuries you have to fight tooth and nail for.

I support dozens of people every week who are in this exact situation. People working full-time jobs, juggling multiple roles, doing everything “right” — but still barely making it. And I’ve been there myself. I know what it feels like to watch the numbers in your bank account dwindle while the bills keep stacking higher, to feel trapped between the need for treatment and the fear of what it’ll cost.

And let me be clear: I absolutely do not begrudge those on benefits getting support. People need help, and they deserve it. This isn’t about who has it worse, or some kind of competition for sympathy.

But what about the people who work, but still struggle? Where is the support for them? Because right now, if you earn “too much” to qualify for help, you get left to sink or swim — even if that salary barely covers your rent, your groceries, your travel to work, and your debts.

And dental care — that’s a nightmare in itself. It’s not just about getting an appointment anymore. It’s about whether you can afford the treatment after you get in the chair. You might manage to book a slot after months of waiting, but then the reality hits — the treatment will cost hundreds of pounds, and your “working wage” doesn’t stretch that far. So people suffer in silence, putting up with pain and infections, because they simply can’t afford to fix the problem.

A salary is just a number on paper, and it doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t show the sky-high rent that takes half your paycheck. It doesn’t reflect the debts you’re still paying off from when life went wrong. It doesn’t include the extra costs of heating your home, feeding your family, or unexpected emergencies.

I’ve supported people who skip meals so they can afford their kids’ school uniforms. I’ve helped people who work full shifts and still can’t heat their homes in winter. I’ve seen exhausted parents forced to choose between paying a utility bill or getting the bus fare together to take their child to the doctor.

And I’ve been there myself — that crushing feeling of trying to do everything right but still ending up with nothing left at the end of the week.

The system is broken. It only looks at the number on your payslip and decides if you “qualify” for help, without taking into account the reality of your life or the mountain of expenses you’re juggling. It assumes if you work, you’re fine — when the truth is many are barely surviving.

We shouldn’t have to feel ashamed for struggling while working full-time. We shouldn’t have to live in constant fear of what happens if an unexpected cost hits. And we definitely shouldn’t be told to just “budget better” or “try harder” when the system is stacked against us.

This isn’t about asking for handouts. It’s about demanding fairness. It’s about making sure the people who keep this country running aren’t left to drown. It’s about recognising that work alone isn’t a shield against hardship — and making sure support reaches those who need it most, no matter what their salary says.