Unless u have experienced poverty as a child, you will never understand how it scars you for life. I’ve spent my entire life measuring my security by how much food I have in my cupboards. My poor mum tried to shield us from it, but I noticed everything. I was that kind of kid 1.

My way out was grant assisted,free University. But it’s only now, at 50 I’m not worried about money all the time. Financially, I’ve been self sufficient since I was 18. My mum didn’t have anything to give me 2.

If I needed to borrow money, there was no bank of mum and dad, it was the bank or nothing. There were no driving lessons when I was 17/18 I was 26 before I could afford to learn to drive 3.

I was helping my mum pay for my brother’s nursery fees with my first graduate job. Even now, if her washing machine breaks, she doesn’t have the spare money on her state pension to buy one. It’s me that would buy it 4.

I’m not complaining! I’m lucky! But people don’t realise how humiliating poverty is for children and their parents, and I know people who had a lot less than we did. 5.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever stop worrying about money. Even though probably now, I don’t have to as much. Thing is, it becomes part of your DNA 6.