There are around ten residents of the working-class district of Borny, in Metz, who meet for “talk and crafts” workshops organized by Secours catholique. For several weeks, they worked on the report on poverty that the association published on Thursday, November 14, under the title “When solidarity fades away”. Gathered around a coffee on the ground floor of a small HLM bar, they talk about public services that are less and less helpful and more and more distant.
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Many have seen a social benefit suddenly stopped, without notice. Sylvie M. (those interviewed wished to remain anonymous), 61 years old, received a rent receipt increased from 250 to 500 euros in February: “By calling CAF, I learned that I was deprived of APL while I repaid a debt of 780 euros. I insisted a lot, but no one was ever able to tell me where this debt came from”says the disability care assistant, who volunteers to run this workshop.
Valérie's daughter and future son-in-law, parents of a young child, have just suffered what they also consider to be an injustice: “Their active solidarity income [RSA] was not paid. The CAF replied to my daughter that they are no longer entitled to it, because, according to France Travail, they would have created their business, which is not the case”explains this 55-year-old life support worker, currently unemployed. Huguette, 65, was not informed by Social Security that she had forgotten to sign a form, which delayed the renewal of her complementary solidarity health insurance. “I was the one who finally asked what was going on, after a month of waiting…”
“Now we talk with the computer”
Although they can be accompanied by social workers, they deplore the lack of contacts in the various organizations, which forces them to approach their children or their neighbors, whose role is not theirs. “Before, at Social Security, there were counters. We waited, but we met someone. It was better for us who were not born with computers”recalls Chantal, 71, retired community cook. “Now we talk with the computer”quips Valérie. Telephone exchanges also prove complicated. “I am often told “Madam, you don’t understand”, or that a piece of paper is missing, even if it is false”testifies Sylvie M.
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