A dad forced to wait months for Universal Credit says he can't afford Christmas presents for his son and hasn't eaten "properly" in weeks.
Adam Barton, 29, said he lost his job as he battled depression and is now struggling to provide for his five-year-old son Alexander.
Mr Barton, from Hull, East Yorkshire, said he has had "zero money" for two to three months and has fallen behind on rent and bills, making him feel like he is a "rubbish dad".
The dad told HullLive that he has turned to foodbanks for help and has applied for more than 200 jobs, but so far no-one has given him a chance.
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Mr Barton said: “A few months back I lost my job because of mental health issues. I’d been late a few times because of it and I was in my probation period so they let me go.
“Now I have zero money and I can’t even afford Christmas presents for my little boy. I know presents aren’t everything but he’s five-years-old and it matters at that age.
“I’m still struggling with my depression and just putting a roof over my head. My rent is in arrears and I’ve missed bills. It’s made me feel like s**t, really terrible.
"I’ve been made to feel really small, like I’m a rubbish dad.”
Mr Barton said his son is keeping him going, adding: “It’s the thought of my little boy needing a dad and the hope that things will change is what’s getting me through but there are days where I feel fed up and worthless.
“If anyone else is in the same situation I just want to say do not give up and believe in yourself.”
Mr Barton said he began experiencing mental health problems when his relationship with Alexander's mother broke down about three years ago.
He said: “I worried about my family splitting up and not seeing my son again. That’s not been the case and my son’s mum has been fantastic but that was the trigger for things and it’s carried on into my work.
“I was an energy consultant helping businesses and charities save money. It was a really good job I really enjoyed it.
“I’ve always had steady jobs, I worked in construction and sales and a factory for seven years."
The dad uses his parents' house as a base to meet with his son because his own home doesn't have a bed for the boy.
He said he is grateful to Alexander’s mother and grandparents for their part in looking after him.
Mr Barton, who recently appeared on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme to discuss his dire situation, said he used his last paycheck to cover his rent and bills for October.
He said he will not receive his first Universal Credit payment until January.
He added: “I apply for jobs every single day. I’ve applied for over 200 jobs so far but got nowhere.
“I have had no money for two to three months. I can’t get Universal Credit until January. I have no money to survive. I’ve not eaten properly in two to three weeks and I’ve lost a lot of weight.
“I’m eating tinned soup, it’s like I have a soup diet. I think I have about four tins of soup left.
“I’ve been using food banks but even normal stuff like toilet roll I can’t afford, so I have to get that there. I have no money to buy anything.”
Mr Barton has been volunteering with Time to Change, a charity campaign that aims to improve public attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems and eliminate discrimination.
He said more need to be done to support people who need help.
He added: “The support needs to be a lot better for people with depression or mental health issues. They can’t just be put on a waiting list, they need help straight away.
“I was on a waiting list for four weeks. When you’re in that state you can’t just wait around, you need help there and then.”
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