The Quiet Battle in a Cramped Terrace
Inside their cramped three-bedroom terraced house in Middlesbrough, Gemma Grafton, 41, and Lee Stevenson, 46, are fighting a battle that resonates with millions of struggling British families. Lee scrapes by on a minimum-wage handyman job with unpredictable hours, while Gemma, a mother-of-three, had to abandon her job as a dinner lady because transport costs consumed her meagre earnings.
Financial Collapse and Political Disillusionment
The family says their finances are collapsing under rising costs and shrinking support, reliant on benefits that often leave them unable to cover basics. Their situation thrust them into the spotlight when they expressed frustration with what they perceive as preferential treatment for migrants and asylum seekers. "I think a lot of people's backs are up because they get the food vouchers, they get the free mobile phones, free [school] uniforms, driving lessons, the houses," Gemma told Sky News. "It's sort of like a kick in the teeth."
For decades, towns like Middlesbrough formed the backbone of Labour's support. Now, Reform is surging in these traditional heartlands. Gemma believes Sir Keir Starmer has 'forgotten' working people like her family while prioritising others. "Middlesbrough is broken and nobody cares about fixing it. Labour is helping the wrong people," she said from her housing association home.
The Crushing Reality of Universal Credit
In October, the couple received £2,117.95 in Universal Credit. After adjustments for Lee's earnings, they were left with just £873 on top of his wage. After rent, utilities, council tax, and other essential payments, there is little left. "There are months we do struggle," Gemma admitted. "It got so bad once I ended up on antidepressants." The burden will increase due to the two-child benefit cap, meaning they receive no extra government support for their newborn.
Their story is not unique on the Brambles Farm estate. Mother-of-three Charlotte Hines and her partner Patrick Brannigan are left with as little as £250 a month after Universal Credit adjustments. They have been forced to use food banks and were made effectively homeless after an eviction. Charlotte recently had to turn down a care home job because prohibitive nursery costs made it financially unviable.
Middlesbrough itself is sinking under poverty, with half of its neighbourhoods among the most deprived in England. More than 50% of children live in poverty, and unemployment sits above the national average. Resentment simmers as the town houses 681 asylum seekers – a rate of 44 per 10,000 people. While asylum seekers receive only basic allowances and cannot work, the optics sting for locals on the breadline.
The Graftons did not vote in the last election but confirm they will vote for Reform next time. Lee explained their reasoning: "They're for the British people. In Britain, it should be your own first." This sentiment, echoed across the estate, signals a profound political shift in Labour's former red wall, driven by a deep-seated feeling of being left behind.
