Working single mothers forced to use food banks to feed their kids because of Universal Credit
FURIOUS single mums have taken the Government to court over Universal Credit - saying they're being made poorer and forced to foodbanks.
Danielle Johnson, who worked part-time as a dinner lady, and three others are drowning in debt after going onto the new welfare system.
She said the flagship policy forces hardship as the amount she gets changes wildly every month - leaving her £500 a year worse off. Tens of THOUSANDS of Brits could be affected, lawyers argued today.
Danielle, 25, from West Yorkshire, said: "I have never been this financially unstable before, to the point of being unable to afford my rent and having to go into my overdraft when buying food.
"It is getting me into a vicious cycle of debt.
"Universal Credit is supposed to be simpler and fairer, but my experience of it is the opposite."
She said was working part time to try and make ends meet and look after her daughter, but the system meant she wasn't better off if she went back to work.
And she added:
"I thought the government was supposed to help and support people like me trying to get back to work but I have found it to be the opposite.”
Claire Woods, Erin Barrett and Katie Stewart are also taking their cases to court - and some had fallen into debt or had to rely on food banks.
Claire said she had been forced to food banks, had to turn down a promotion and was pushed into debt.
"I am competent managing my own finances and am someone who wants to work for professional and personal development, but the assessment period problem meant my income fluctuated so much that it was impossible to budget," she said.
"I wanted to become free of welfare through my chosen profession but Universal Credit is holding me back from that."
Jenni Richards QC, representing the women, told the court: "The claimants in this case all have a number of things in common.
"They are all lone parents, they have all been doing their utmost to work and not depend solely on benefits."
"There is no reason to suspect they are anomalous or isolated cases," she added.
Tessa Gregory from Leigh Day who is representing Danielle, said the system was "broken and ill-thought out".
And Child Poverty Action Group's Carla Clarke, who is representing the other three mums, said the system was undercutting the purpose of helping people into work.
She said: "Our clients have been left repeatedly without money for family essentials simply because of the date of their paydays."
Their case is being heard at the High Court today, which is the second time Universal Credit has come under fire.
Over the summer a landmark case found that ministers had acted unlawfully and discriminated against two men with severe disabilities.
Universal Credit assessment periods - what you need to know
- Your payments are calculated from the day you . If you're expecting a final pay cheque or other form of income, it could be better to wait until that comes in before making a claim for Universal Credit help - that way it won't be included. Bear in mind it will be a minimum of five weeks before you get a payment
- If you're paid monthly by your employer, and all your circumstances stay the same, your Universal Credit should stay the same
- But if you get paid more than that, every two or four weeks, then your Universal Credit claim will change to reflect that - effectively cutting the amount of benefits you will able to get for that month
- If that happens, you will be notified that your income is too high and you don't qualify for help - but then you will have to re-apply the following month
- The DWP say: "You will need to be prepared for a month when you get 2 earnings payments in one assessment period and budget for a potential change in your monthly Universal Credit payments".
- They also say: "Speak to your work coach if there is a gap in your Universal Credit payments and you need help to budget and manage your money more effectively"
- Your benefit payments can also change can be because of finding or finishing a job, your rent going up or down, changing address, or becoming too ill to work
- If you work more, your benefits will automatically decrease
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The single mums are just one case of hundreds of Brits who have said that Universal Credit isn't working for them.
The Sun revealed how one single dad who gave up work to look after his baby son had got NOTHING for 2 months because of a glitch in how his payday was calculated.
The new system measures earnings in a one month period, but if an individual gets paid every fortnight or four weeks they can see their benefits slashed.
And yesterday one single mum said she could become homeless after losing a bid for Universal Credit help.
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