Maya Oppenheim
How Benefit Sanctions Have Driven Brits to Suicide
Research has proven that welfare cuts are tipping deeply vulnerable individuals – in need of support, not punishment – over the edge.
Lahmacun Is Turkey’s Answer to Thin and Crispy Pizza
Despite being a staple of Turkish cuisine, few of London kebab shops choose to advertise lahmacun, a flatbread smeared with minced lamb, tomatoes, Aleppo pepper, onions, and parsley.
Babies Behind Bars
One hundred babies are born in prisons in England and Wales each year, yet there's no universal standard for what prisons have to provide for pregnant women—in extreme cases, some have been left to clean their cell after miscarrying.
Too Poor to Die: More and More Families in the UK Can't Afford to Bury Their Loved Ones
Why is the cost of dying rising so fast?
Cameron's Vow to Slash Benefits for Under 21s Will Force Young People Onto the Street
If the Tories win the general election, they've promised to "slash" housing benefits for under 21s "within the first few days" – but for those who can't return to a family home, that might mean living on the streets.
This Is Why You Should Care That Our Probation Service Has Just Been Privatised
Unskilled private security companies will now be dealing with those who are deemed to be menaces to British society.
For Homeless Women, Having a Period Isn't a Hassle, It's a Nightmare
As long as sanitary ware is classified as a "nonessential" and "luxury" item, and isn't given out for free like condoms, homeless women may be forced to shoplift for tampons and towels, or resort to using tissue from McDonald's toilets.
You Don't Want to Get Sick in British Prisons
Inmates may have to wait months to see a doctor, and patterns of substandard treatment, medical negligence, and misdiagnosis are abundant.
The UK's New Supervised Job Search Scheme Feels Like a Farcical Joke
Selected jobseekers have to sit inside a center nine to five, Monday to Friday, for three months, looking for jobs that don't exist.
The Four Aces Club Was The Jewel in Dalston's Crown
Desmond Dekker and The Prodigy got their starts here. No wonder it's legendary.
London's Dining Scene Is Killing Off Jellied Eel Shops
Jellied eels have long been an emblem of London's working class cuisine at pie and mash shops—but now they're being replaced by hip restaurants that threaten to put them out of business for good. Apparently, jelly is so last century.
Eating Alone in Prison Is Miserable
Prison grub tends to be a bit of a mystery to those on the outside. The days of lining for a sloppy ladleful of gruel are mostly over, but if porridge is no longer staple scran for inmates, what do they eat and who do they eat it with?