Darren received a long benefits sanction after a mix-up about Work Programme courses. Once his food money had run out, he had no energy left to turn up to the Work Programme and was sanctioned again, in a vicious cycle that left him too ill to do anything. He says, “When I did get a job interview, I looked like a zombie, as I had lost so much weight. I could not focus properly and lacked energy. Support from friends and family fell away as they assumed I was addicted to drugs. I was just hungry.” He stole a sandwich from a supermarket, was arrested and fined £80. When he couldn’t pay, he was jailed for a week for non-payment.
Source: http://figr.es/s320