I AM a 48-year-old single father, bringing up my two-year-old son.

From the age of 15-40, I spent more than 20 years in prison, including a nine-year sentence for armed robbery on an Oxford building society.

While serving that sentence in the early ‘90s, I became addicted to heroin, taking me a further 20 years to beat that addiction.

I am now totally clean from drugs for three years and have not been back to prison for seven years.

Being a sole carer to my two-year-old, I have had to stay at home and while it has been a lovely, interesting and emotional experience, having had to rely on benefits, has also been a very lean period financially.

I decided the only way out of this way of life would be to become self-employed and start my own small business bricklaying.

With the help of working tax credits etc, I can just afford to cover my son’s full-time nursery fees. I will also have to pay my rent and council tax – £110 per week, as I will no longer qualify for a rent rebate as I am no longer claiming income support.

There is also bills, weekly running costs of the business, while I also need a vehicle which I cannot afford.

Some people reading this may think I am foolish but I call it faith – faith in my own ability to succeed, and if after reading this anybody has any helpful suggestions or advice they could spare, please get in touch.

Alistair Thompson Chillingworth Crescent Wood Farm