Mums ‘choose between food and heating’ as they describe life on Universal Credit

The reality of life on Universal Credit has been laid bare by struggling families who say it "simply does not work".

Over the festive period one young mother says they won’t have Christmas tree lights on.

Meanwhile another says she cannot afford to go out with her family on Boxing Day.

And rather than being supported, they reveal that they have found themselves worse off and are struggling to cope.

They told Kent Live of daily struggles to make ends meet, having to choose between food and heating their homes, getting deeper into debt and borrowing money from friends and family.

Universal Credit is a new benefits system supporting jobseekers, low-waged parents and disabled people across the UK.

The single monthly payment has replaced six previous benefits, including housing benefit, jobseekers allowance and child tax credits.

But critics have described it as "cruel", leaving vulnerable recipients penniless and desperate weeks before Christmas.

The rollout of the reformed system, which began in May 2016, is not complete in Kent yet, with some families still on the old system yet to move over.

Martha Thompson says the changeover has left her family short of money and facing a disappointing Christmas.

The mum-of-one, who lives in Kent with her husband Michael and daughter Elsie, 6, said at first they thought Universal Credit would be a helpful top up on her husband’s wages.

“We were were evicted from our house so we had to live with our family.," she explained.

“When we moved out and got our own place we started a fresh claim with Universal Credit.

“It was really easy to do at first and it seemed perfect when we went into it – easier monthly, household payments.

“My husband works shifts so it works out better. So instead of working out how much we need by the end of the year, it would do it automatically and we would get a fixed amount of money with Universal Credit and his wages."

Martha, who suffers with chronic pain, anxiety, OCD and fibromyalgia, said it went downhill in September when they got called into the Jobcentre.

She added: "They won’t admit it but they lost the ESA part of our forms, so I couldn’t have that extra part of the payment until I completed the assessment, but I have completed it already.

“They just denied all knowledge that I had done the assessment so I have to start all over again.

"It was just awful when they told me. I ended up having a panic attack in the middle of the Jobcentre from the shock. How can they tell me something did not happen, when it did?"

Meanwhile, the family have found themselves short of money and unable to pay for basics.

After taking into account her husband’s wages from his job at the cinema, and their Universal Credit top up, the family has just £900 a month to live on.

She said: "Our money has dropped dramatically.

“Before, we were getting £1,300 overall, which was great because our bills come to £1,000 so it leaves me with £200 for electric and food, which is tight but possible.

“And now we are down to £900 a month. We are short every month, just for our bills.

“We have maxed out the credit card, we are living off beans on toast, the heating is only on for one hour a day.

“It’s awful for our daughter, she is back to school having school dinners, which she hates and sometimes doesn’t eat but I can’t afford to make a packed lunch.

"We are borrowing money off family saying we will pay it back one day."

But it’s not just the day-to-day which has been impacted. Mrs Thompson said the family doesn’t feel Christmas will be as special this year.

She said: "We are not that bad for Christmas because we do our shopping for it all through the year. We had a good stash from that.

“But the days out are not happening this year because we can’t afford to do it.

“We can’t afford new decorations for the tree, any treats or any of the things that make Christmas special.

“We have to turn the lights off the tree because it wastes more electricity.

“Christmas is here, and we’re ready for it but it’s not as special as it could be."

Diane Davies, from Margate, Kent said her disabled 63-year-old mum – who has asked not to be named, is unable to afford food or heat her home.

She explained: “My mum has been signed off sick by the doctor for three years because one of her discs slipped.

“There are some days she cannot walk, other days she is better. But Universal Credit says she’s fit to work.

“They have spent hundreds of pounds sending her on computer courses to prepare her for a new job – but she’s got arthritis in her hands which means some days only two of her fingers work.

“She is 64 in March and due to retire in a few years."

Diane, who works at a children’s home, said her mum’s doctor was even forced to call the Jobcentre to step in.

She said: “She’s got arthritis in the spine, neck and fingers, sciatica and five protruding discs.

“She had an accident a few years ago and now if she falls over she gets taken straight to a London hospital.

“But they have decided she is fit enough to work, even though she can barely walk.

“They told her she had to get in to the Jobcentre to use their computer every day. She can’t afford to get a bus there and she can barely walk but they told her to go in every day, it’s ridiculous.

“Her doctor had to ring the Jobcentre and say ‘are you trying to kill this woman?’"

“No one would employ her now.

“She used to work in a canteen before she had her accident and she loved it but she just can’t now.

“Some days she is up and about but some days she is like an 80-year-old woman."

Her credit was stopped a month ago because she has been unable to fill in her daily journal.

Now, Diane said she has been forced to buy her mum basic groceries as she has been let down by the system.

She said: “It breaks my heart sometimes. I try to take her shopping but I do not expect to have to buy her toilet roll and toothpaste because everybody should be able to afford that.

“Of course I will buy it for her but its not right. These are basic things everyone should have access to.

“I can work, I’m not unwell. So I do. I’m just about to move jobs and start work in a children’s care home.

“I feel they do not do enough to support people who are on it for the right reasons, people like my mum.

“I don’t think the system works because she managed before.

“They need to look at people properly and not just on some point system, everyone is different.

“Everyone should have access to basic rights such as eating and heating their houses and its awful people can not afford that."

Marie Griggs, a mum-of-two from Folkestone, Kent said it’s badly affected her day to day living.

The 40-year-old, who has two children age 14 and 9, said: “When I first when on it they didn’t tell me the money was for rent as well. So I thought ‘I can live off this’

“When I realised I had to pay my rent out of it I had to borrow money through the advanced payment to do that and now I have to pay them back £50 a month – all because they didn’t tell me.

“Generally it’s affected my day to day living badly. I have to pay for my son’s bus pass at £20 a week, he takes £5 a week to school every day.

“That’s quite a bit of money each month.

“After paying bills I end up with about £60 to live on."

Marie, who says PTSD, social anxiety and bipolar disorder have left her unable to work, said there are no other options.

She said: "I get £1,000 a month. I couldn’t believe it when they said I have to pay my rent out of that.

"I don’t know how people live on it. – my rent is £400 a month, my council tax is £40 – it’s doesn’t give you a great deal to live on

“And they wonder why people turn to crime.

“I’ve been told I can go to a food bank but how embarrassing is that?

“I cannot take my kids on days out any more, even just to the places we used to go before.

“Christmas is going to be tight. They are not getting as much as they did last year.

“All my family will going out on Boxing Day but we won’t be able to go.

“I just think its unfair and people are struggling. It’s not a great time of year for people to be struggling with money.

“I do not know how I’m going to live in January because I’ve got to get through Christmas.

“I just don’t think they’ve thought this through.”

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