Naseem is in her 50s, and has four children, with the youngest just turned 17. Her own childhood was very hard. She was not allowed to attend school and, subsequently, had to escape from a violent marriage. What bothers her most is her lack of education. She can barely read and write, and official paperwork panics her. In the past, she has worked in shops, and as a carer to elderly people. Now on Jobseeker’s Allowance, Naseem has been sanctioned for four months. She says, “I went to the appointment, but it was the wrong office. I tried to explain and explain and explain.” In the meantime, her bills are piling up. Trying to explain this at the job centre, she grew breathless, then she fainted. “I always get panic attacks,” she says, “but recently they have got worse.”