'I'd probably be dead or on drugs without help'

Stevie says young people should get the same amount of Universal Credit as those aged over 25

A young woman who found herself homeless has told MPs she would "probably be dead or on drugs" without the help of a charity.

Stevie, from Winchester in Hampshire, ended up sofa-surfing at friends' houses after her relationship with her family broke down.

Living out of a duffle bag in her late teens, she was put in touch with Step by Step, an Aldershot-based organisation that helped her get her life back on track.

Now aged 22 and an ambassador for the charity, she has given a speech about her experience in the House of Commons.

Stevie's mental health suffered when she became homeless

Stevie lived in foster care between the ages of 12 and 17, then spent 18 months back with her family before things went wrong.

A family argument left her without a roof over her head, and she became reliant on friends' generosity to survive.

"It felt awful, I had a couple of T-shirts and a charger in my bag, my mental state was at its absolute lowest," she said, adding: "You never expect it to happen."

Stevie said she was living off universal credit, which was just over £255 a month for a single person aged under 25 in 2021 and 2022.

She said: "Under 25s get less money and sometimes I would be like, 'Oh, I can't afford to eat this week - brilliant.'"

After spending what money she had on food, phone bills and travel, Stevie said life became very lonely.

"A lot of relationships break down because you have no money to go and see friends, you can't afford to go out for dinner," she said.

"I was always on my own... in the end they just stop asking you."

'Like a real family'

She then made contact with Step by Step, a charity which helps young people facing hard times, mental health problems and homelessness.

They found her a stable home environment with a host family, and offered support to get her education back on track.

Stevie said the charity encouraged her to become the "best version" of herself.

“Without them I’d probably be dead or on drugs,” Stevie said, adding: "It feels safe and like a real family."

Speaking to MPs, Stevie told her story and explained how young people could be better helped by the government

Now a creative writing student at the University of Winchester, Stevie has developed a passion for public speaking.

At the House of Commons event, Moving Towards Independence, she spoke about the financial and mental struggles faced by people in similar situations, and what she felt needed to change.

Battling her nerves, she said: "I was sort of shaking a bit beforehand in front of all of these quite powerful people."

Stevie told the MPs that young people should receive the same level of universal credit as their older peers.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it was committed to reviewing universal credit so people received the support they needed as swiftly as possible.

A spokesperson added: “For younger customers who live independently or who have other living costs, universal credit also includes additional amounts for housing, children, childcare costs, disability and carers.”