A SINGLE mother has admitted to feeling “so fed up” with Universal Credit after they stopped contributing towards her nursery bill.
Katie-Mae, a first-time-mum to a daughter named Ava, is currently unemployed and is faced with a £541 monthly nursery bill.
While the blonde recognised that Universal Credit once contributed £189 towards this, she confirmed this has now been “stopped” because she is not in employment.
Sharing her frustration, Katie-Mae took to social media to reveal all, as she opened up on the “hard struggle” of being a “struggling single mum.”
As she sat in her car, she cried: “I’m so fed up with Universal Credit – I have to pay £541.89 a month towards Ava’s nursery bills and Universal Credit have been paying me back £189 of that – they’ve now stopped it because I’m unemployed.”
The young woman, who previously revealed that she forced her parents to kick her out and write a letter so she could get benefits and a council house, then recognised that she desperately “needs help” to pay her Ava’s nursery fees.
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She added: “I’m a single mother, the father does not pay anything towards her, I get no other money other than what Universal Credit sends me.
“How am I supposed to live off a small amount of money every single month with a child to provide for and a car to run?”
Katie-Mae recognised that she has been “searching for jobs for so long” but acknowledged that “nobody” is accepting her and she keeps getting “rejected” as she doesn’t have the experience needed.
Following this, she sighed: “I’m so tired of this cycle, because I want to be active, I want to work, I want to provide for my child, I don’t want to sit at home all day on my a**.”
Katie-Mae explained that she first put her daughter into nursery whilst she was studying at college.
But she stressed that if she takes the youngster out of nursery, she will be faced with a whopping seven month wait list to get her back in.
Stunned by the “extortionate fees” and eager for advice, Katie-Mae urged others to get in touch to share their experiences.
I’m so tired of this cycle, because I want to be active, I want to work, I want to provide for my child, I don’t want to sit at home all day
Katie Mae
She continued: “It’s just so stupid – if anyone’s in the same boat as me, please reach out, because I’m struggling.”
Big divide
Katie-Mae’s TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @katiemae18x, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 38,600 views.
But social media users were left totally divided by Katie-Mae’s claims – while many were sympathetic, others weren’t as kind.
Will I be better off on Universal Credit?
Around 1.4million will be better off on Universal Credit, the government calculates.
A further 300,000 will see no change in payments, while around 900,000 will be worse off under Universal Credit.
Of these, around 600,000 are expected to get top-up payments if they move under managed migration, so they don’t lose out on cash immediately.
The majority of those – around 400,000 – are claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
Around 100,000 are on tax credits while fewer than 50,000 each on other legacy benefits are expected to be affected.
Examples of those who may be entitled to less on Universal Credit according to the government include:
- Households getting ESA who and the Severe Disability Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium
- Households with the lower disabled child addition on legacy benefits
- Self-employed households who are subject to the Minimum Income Floor after the 12 month grace period has ended
- In-work households that worked a specific number of hours (eg lone
- parent working 16 hours claiming Working Tax Credits
- Households receiving tax credits with savings of more than £6,000 (and up to £16,000)
- But they could miss out on any future increase to benefits and see payments frozen.
Those who move voluntarily and are worse off won’t get these top-up payments and could lose cash.
Those who miss the deadline and later make a claim may also not get this transitional protection either.
The clock starts ticking on the three-month countdown from the date of the first letter, and reminders are sent via post and text message.
There is a one-month grace period after this, during which any claim to Universal Credit is backdated and transitional protection can still be awarded.
The most recent data from the DWP shows 61,130 individuals have made a claim for UC, and 39,920 awarded transitional protection.
Another 40,540 are still in the process of moving to the new benefit.
One person said: “I feel you girl.”
Another added: “Sorry you are in this situation.”
Having a child was your choice. I am sure there is help out there
TikTok users
But at the same time, a third commented: “This is why it’s important to build a life for yourself first before bringing a child into the world.”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “Get rid of the car, it’s a luxury not a necessity.”
Not only this, but one person fumed: “Having a child was your choice. I am sure there is help out there.”
Whilst one user advised: “Just get a basic job that requires no skills so that you’re employed and got the nursery, then start looking for something you want to do.”
To this, Katie-Mae replied: “I’ve been trying.”
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