A life in poverty, a death in poverty

A mum-of-four 'frustrated to the point of desperation' with the benefits and housing systems was found dead at her home after years of struggle and fear over money and 'uninhabitable' living conditions, an inquest heard.

The family of Karen McBride - whose experiences led her to become a prominent and respected anti-poverty campaigner - said at an inquest into her death they believed the 'failings of multiple agencies led to her death'.

Her daughter, Codie, hit out at 'systemic and policy-based failings' and said they believed her death could have been avoided. A powerful statement Codie wrote for the inquest was read out by a coroner at Stockport Coroners' Court. In it she said: "My mum was a victim of systemic abuse - which is the complete neglect towards a whole class of people in this country.

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"This happens when funding is cut to vital services, ineffective procedures are adopted by agencies and an institutionalised poor perception towards those who are in receipt of benefits or living on the breadline is adopted."

Ms McBride, added her family, was 'wrongly pursued' over benefits debt and after declaring herself homeless, only in order to be prioritised for rehousing by a housing association, she was moved into a property on Rydal Walk, Stalybridge, Tameside, with two of her children that was 'in a very poor state with a myriad of serious restoration work needing to be done'.

Codie said her mum, who was 46, didn't want to accept the tenancy, but was told by Jigsaw Homes in Stalybridge that if she refused to accept the property she would be making herself and her children intentionally homeless.

"She later told Jigsaw in a complaint letter