LETTER : How single mothers manage their money

Sir: The example you used to illustrate the widening gap between rich and poor ("A mother's struggle in the heart of affluence", 10 February) does absolutely nothing to promote discussion on how the problem might be tackled. Whereas you could have written about a low-waged family suffering from inability to cope with mortgage debt, you chose to write about a young lady who is merely suffering from the results of her own irresponsible behaviour. No girl of today can pretend she doesn't know how to prevent pregnancy, so if she has a child before settling down in a permanent, secure relationship, she has only herself to blame.

Yours sincerely,

Rosemarie Craven

Fred Craven

Ringmer, East Sussex

10 February