Being a dad means protecting, providing, and making sure your children feel safe. But what happens when the very system meant to help families instead leaves them waiting, struggling, and alone? The story of Phillip Herron, a single father of three from Durham, England, is a devastating reminder of what happens when support arrives too late.
A Father at Breaking Point
In 2019, Phillip Herron, just 34 years old, was found dead after taking his own life. He had only $6 left in his bank account. A devoted father, Phillip tried to shield his children from the truth—that behind closed doors, he was drowning in nearly $25,000 of debt, rent arrears, and payday loans with crushing interest rates.
Desperate for relief, he turned to Universal Credit, the UK’s flagship welfare program. It was designed to simplify benefits, but in reality, new claimants faced a minimum five-week wait before receiving any payment. For Phillip, already stretched beyond breaking point, that wait proved fatal.
His mother, Sheena Derbyshire, later said:
“When people ask for help, they’re already desperate. Making them wait this long? It’s dangerous.”
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