A single mother from Derry who works part-time has issued a warning over the new Universal Credit system after being left with no benefits for two months.
Kirsty Johnston, who works part-time as a carer, will not receive any money until June 4, most of which she will have to pay out due to having been forced to borrow money over the past two months due to her circumstances.
The new Universal Credit scheme began in Foyle area on February 7, and merges six benefits into one single payment, with the scheme aimed at doing away with the so-called 'benefits trap' where people are better off staying on benefits entering employment.
Kirsty, who lives in the Glenabbey area with her three-year-old son, has her salary topped up with tax credits, and therefore fits the profile of the people Universal Credit is supposed to help.
She works 16 hours a week, and her salary of £500 a month covers her rent and petrol, as she needs the car for her job.
The £128 a week she receives in benefits pays for her other living costs.
However, since making the transfer eight weeks ago, Kirsty has received no benefits, and has had to depend on her family for her day to costs such as food and fuel.
Speaking to the Derry News, Kirsty said that during a visit to a local benefits office on March 28, where she was advised by a member of staff that she would be ‘better off’ on Universal Credit.
From that date forward, all Kirsty’s benefits, including tax credits, working tax credits and small contribution to her Housing Benefit, were all stopped.
“Looking back, it was bad advice because at no time was I told my current benefits were going to be stopped during the transition period,” she said.
“I was then told on March 30 that I would get an advance of £500 to help pay my rent, but that would have to be paid back.
“That was when I started to panic, because not only did I have no benefits, but the advance would also have to be paid back once my money eventually came through.”
The 27-year-old added that she has been forced to depend on her family for help over the last two months.
“As it stands, I’ll not receive anything until June 4, and it’s a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul because a lot of that will have to go back because of the fact I’ve been left with nothing for two months,” she added.
“I’m depending on my family for everything, and without them I would be lost.”
“If this had been explained properly to me at the time, then I wouldn’t have taken it on,” she added.
“I feel like I’ve been lost in the system, and there’s no sympathy at all for my personal circumstances.”
Kirsty added that she had been advised to use food vouchers or food banks, but added that ‘someone who is working should not have to depend on a food bank’.
“The whole thing is really, really frustrating, and we were supposed to meet with the head of Universal Credit at the SDLP office in Northland, but unfortunately no one from the department showed up,” she added.
“I’m trying to better myself by getting out there and working but I can see why people want to stay on the dole if it means you end up like this.”
Commenting, the SDLP’s Brian Tierney said that he had spoken with representatives from the Department for Communities (DfC), but added that he was also growing frustrated with the response he had received.
“It feels like we’re just being given the run-around here,” he told the Derry News.
“Kirsty hasn’t had a change in her circumstances, so strictly speaking, she should never have been advised to opt for Universal Credit.
“We had arranged a meeting with a senior figure involved in the scheme last week, but that was a no-show.
“It’s just incredibly frustrating.”
The Derry News contacted the Department for Communities (DfC), to ask why Kirsty was advised to apply for Universal Credit despite not declaring a change in her circumstances, and why she had been left with no benefits for such a long period of time.
A spokesperson for the Department said that while it could not comment on individual cases, it had ‘been actively liaising with this claimant to address her queries’.
“Where a claimant currently in receipt of one of the six benefits impacted by Universal Credit lives in an area where it has been introduced, it is possible for the claimant to actively choose to claim Universal Credit without a change in circumstances,” the spokesperson said.
“Universal Credit Advances of up to 100 per cent of their entitlement are available to support claimants in financial need who can’t manage until they receive their payment of Universal Credit.”
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