Mishalle: [00:00:00] Universal credit has helped and also caused major stress for me. I relocated two years ago as I fled DV with my three young children, and even though my youngest was not three, I knew I wanted to work again as being on uc, was living hand to mouth on a daily basis. I was part of government funded work search program, so never had the need to use job centers.

I successfully secured employment, and the uc part was very frustrating, even making me consider rejecting the job offer. I have three children that require childcare around my job, and even though contacting uc with offer letter, the advisors did not seem to know what to do. I was informed of the flexible support fund, but the job center staff didn’t seem to know how to process this, and I ended up starting work and had to go back to job center numerous times.

Trying to get the paperwork in the entire process was extremely stressful, and communication was awful. Even the submission process was not clear, and again, was rejected because the person couldn’t add two figures. I was also not allowed to change to a closer job center as my postcode meant I needed to go into town center [00:01:00] again, a major issue as it was further away, and there was a job center right next to my work, which is also less than six minutes from my home.

I have spent the first year of working constantly being stressed about finances. My mental health has deteriorated and my children and I have really struggled. The childcare cost fluctuates as I need two childcare settings, the two chi, the two child cap, and the cap on the 85%. Childcare cost is a major factor to this.

I have had to take out a credit card to be able to pay for food and expenses so that all uc payments go directly to childcare costs. I have had my childcare declarations rejected because uc staff did not bother looking at the second page of the invoice submitted, the same invoice was submitted and then approved.

This causes me major stress and tension as I heavily depend on these payments to be able to continue working. The 85% childcare cost is capped at 1,739 pounds and 37 pence for two or more children. Yet the summer holidays is six weeks, and my cost for three children is over 3000 pounds. Unfortunately, there isn’t even a, an there isn’t an even split of this for the uc [00:02:00] assessment period.

So I will need to have to have this full amount by the end of July to pay in advance, and I will now need to go to food banks to be able to feed us over the summer. I also rent privately as I don’t qualify for housing and as the local housing allowance is low yet, private rentals are over 900 pounds in my area.

I have to cover 350 pounds shortfall for my salary or by making cuts on food or utilities. I’m employed by a local council and support many families in need, and many don’t want to become employed because the childcare costs are unaffordable and uc causes more issues than they wish. Take on my mental health has deteriorated since becoming employed.

The constant stress of childcare and trying to stay on top of my finances while ensuring my children’s mental, emotional and physical needs are met. My children miss me, and even when I’m with them, I’m too stressed about food house and work that I don’t have quality time with them. We have no holidays or days out as I can’t afford anything that’s considered a luxury.

As an employed single parent to three children who have with no family or support, I am responsible for them. The cost for food. The cost of food, [00:03:00] clothes, haircuts, and extracurricular activities, including their travel. I access local community groups like Help thy neighbor or church, or to get toys and free activities for them.

The two child cap on uc is absolutely horrendous for me, as well as the cap amount on the 85% childcare cost, as does. This does not cover summer holidays and does not take into consideration family situations or dynamics. Staff in uc need to be trained better on FSF, on how they look at childcare declarations.

This where this might be a job for them and rejecting a submission without due consideration may be nothing. It causes massive stress for the family. Better communication and support is really required. The uc Journal system is not clear and better processes for inquiries or direct from two questions about childcare costs before things are rejected.