'Housing benefit changes would halve my food budget'

Maureen Hagan, from Middlesbrough, is a grandmother of 10, who has one granddaughter who lives with her, and is fighting for custody of another grandson who is in care.

Because her grandson does not live with her full-time, she will lose benefits worth £14 per week for having a spare bedroom in her home. She feels like she is being penalised for trying to reunite her family.

She lives in a three bedroom housing association property - and cannot move to a two bedroom house because government guidelines say mixed sex children over the age of 10 cannot share a bedroom.