The introduction of Universal Credit was meant to make life easier for struggling familiies.

But the major reform to the benefits system has left many Essex residents worse off than they were before, they claim.

From struggling to afford food for their children to having no money for Christmas presents this year, life on Universal Credit seems to be really hitting some families hard.

The Trussell Trust, a nationwide food bank charity, reported last month that more people were expected to visit food banks this Christmas than ever before. According to some families, Universal Credit leaves them with no other option.

These are the stories from families across Essex who have been left struggling within the system.

The South Ockendon mum who has to keep the heating off at home

Katy has been receiving Universal Credit for two months

Katy Brazier is a 39-year-old single mum from South Ockendon. She lives with her one-year-old son named Archer.

She has been on Universal Credit for two months and claims it has already had a huge impact on her life.

She claims she is left with just £360 to last her the whole month after she has paid £500 rent and £30 council tax.

"After waiting seven weeks for my first payment, I was only given £890," she said. "By then I was owed seven weeks' rent, which is £112 per week.

"If I paid the whole amount then I would have been left with almost nothing at all.

"That doesn’t cover my shopping and I have to keep the heating off and wrap us up warm because I can’t afford it."

Prior to giving birth to her son, Katy worked at Asda. She planned on returning to work but had to leave her job to take care of him after splitting from the Archer's father.

Katy lives in South Ockendon with her son, Archer

"It’s horrendous," Katy continued. "My fridge is always empty because I’m waiting on my next payment.

"This benefit is the worse thing I've ever had the misfortune of coming across.

"It is so bad for parents and children, my Christmas is going to be so sad as I can’t afford to get food and gifts. It’s heartbreaking."

Katy has gained a level two teaching assistant qualification while she has been bringing up her son at home.

She hopes to work in a school but says she wouldn't be able to afford it until her son is old enough to begin education.

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is a payment given to people to help with living costs, or for certain people on low income or out of work.

It was introduced in the UK in 2013 and is gradually being rolled out as part of a major reform to the benefits system.

The project has replaced six former benefits, essentially rolling them into one single monthly payment. It has replaced:

  • Child Tax Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Working Tax Credit

Your eligibility for Universal Credit depends on where you live, whether you live with a partner, if you have children, your age and whether you are in full-time study or training.

Full details on Universal Credit can be found on the gov.uk website.

She said: "Child minder fees are on average £50 per day.

"But I have been looking for work as I can’t live like this."

The Hadleigh mum-of-two who can't afford Christmas presents

Louise lives in Hadleigh with her two daughters, Lily and Daisy

As of October 11, 1.3million people in the UK were on Universal Credit, of which only 36 per cent were in employment.

Louise McWilliams, 28, is a single mum from Hadleigh. She has two daughters named Lily, 10 and Daisy, two, and has been receiving Universal Credit since September after she split from her partner.

She said: "I started my claim on September 24 when me and my partner split up.

"I had to go for a meeting at the job centre in order to be accepted. They offered me an advanced payment which I accepted, as I wouldn't get my first payment for five weeks.

"At this point I was still working, so I had put that last wage aside to help with my rent until I got my Universal Credit."

Having to take care of her two children on her own, Louise was unable to manage a job alongside her responsibilities at home, leading to issues with her Universal Credit claim.

"I had to give up my job on September 30 as I was unable to manage the child care," Louise said.

The Essential Living Fund

Run by Southend Borough Council, the Essential Living Fund was set up to help people in urgent need of money and food.

It can help to pay for furniture, clothing, fuel connection charges, and daily living expenses such as food and toiletries.

It has replaced Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants, and to be eligible you have to live in Essex and apply through the council.

Councillor Lesley Salter, cabinet member for healthy communities and benefits, said: “The essential living fund (ELF) was introduced in 2013 to ease exceptional financial pressures on people and families.

"The fund was designed to be flexible and each case is carefully considered on its own merits, in terms of urgency and what is needed, so no two cases are the same.

"It has been a lifeline for some families, who for one reason or another, need a little extra help financially.”

"I'm meant to get £1,000 a month to cover all my expenses. Bills, rent, shopping and clothes for me and the girls, literally everything.

"But in October I only received £735 and in November only £703. Because of this I've only managed to pay my bills, my family have been giving me money for food.

"I got my girls' Christmas presents out of the wages and savings I'd put aside. My family will get nothing off me as I only have £25 in my account to last me till my next Universal Credit payment, which won't be until around December 25.

"It's hard, even more this time of year because of Christmas."

Louise was forced to stop working in September

"It just seems like you're left alone and no one cares. So I probably won't see what I should have had back.

"I'm just lucky I have family to help me because some people don't and it's horrible to think about what they go through."

The Witham family who haven't received a penny for three months

Nicola Joslin and her family were handed a possession notice for their home in November
Nicola Joslin and her family were handed a possession notice for their home in November

Up until September this year, Nicola Joslin was receiving £1,200 a month in Universal Credit.

The Witham mum-of-two was using the money to cover her costs, including rent, food and petrol.

But three months ago when her partner Rob, 35, moved into the family home, her payments stopped altogether and she was left with no fixed income.

The family was then handed a possession notice informing them they could also lose their home if their debts weren't paid off in time.

Nicola, 29, said: "We’re now getting nothing at all from Universal Credit and that's been the case since September.

"They said because Rob gets £3,000 from student finance every three months it means he can pay for everything else as well. We have a car and house we need to run, and pay as much rent as we can as well as all the university costs he has.

"He’s had a passion for it for a long time and I’m not about to tell him to pull out of university because of our situation. It’s unfair that we’ve been put in this situation in the first place.

"It is heartbreaking to know the only way we would be financially stable again is if me and Rob broke up and separated."

The family is even struggling with food, relying on mainly tinned and dried items from food banks to keep the two children, Leo, 4, and Paige, 1, fed.

"We’re getting food bank vouchers every week and our health visitor is putting together a Christmas hamper for us," Nicola added.

"It’s got us to a point where it’s affecting our mental health badly.

"At the moment part of me wants to give up fighting and let everything fall apart, but the other part of me tells me to keep going because I have two kids to fight for."

In September, Nicola was told she would receive £0 in Universal Credit that month
In September, Nicola was told she would receive £0 in Universal Credit that month

Further research by the Trussell Trust has shown that food bank usage rises significantly in areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out.

On average, 12 months after rollout, food banks see a 52 per cent increase in demand, compared to 13 per cent in areas with Universal Credit for three months or less.

As well as relying on food banks, Nicola has reached out to people in the local community to help her and the family over the Christmas period.

And the kindness of others has shone through, with people donating food, clothes and even money to help the family as much as they can.

"We received a card from someone this week and we have no idea who it is," Nicola added.

"He enclosed £100 worth of Morrisons vouchers and £15 cash, and he's a complete stranger.

Nicola and Rob have been together for nearly three years
Nicola and Rob have been together for nearly three years

"People are aware of the difficulties we face and thankfully they are willing to help. It’s made me want to cry tears of joy because there are so many decent people out there, but at the same time it’s the guilt of taking their stuff.

"A lady turned up yesterday with three bags of clothes for Paige and I felt guilty taking it. But if I don’t I feel guilty about not being able to provide for my children. I have to bite the bullet and just accept it, it’s for the kids not me."

Time Line

The history of Universal Credit in the UK

  1. April 2013 - First claims were made

    From April 29, 2013, some newly unemployed people in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, started to claim Universal Credit rather than Jobseeker's Allowance.

  2. October 2013 - March 2014 - First expansion

    Universal credit expanded to six new Jobcentres, with people able to claim from Hammersmith, Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton by March 2014.

  3. January 2015 - Claimants with children

    From January 26, Universal Credit became available to job seekers with children in 26 more areas across the country.

  4. Early 2015 - Nationwide roll out began

    Work and Pensions Secretary at the time, Iain Duncan Smith, announced that Universal Credit would be rolled out to all Jobcentres and local authorities across the country from early 2015.

    This marked a significant acceleration but would still only be for new claims from single jobseekers (though a handful of Jobcentres started taking claims from couples during Summer 2014 and families during November 2014 and January 2015).

  5. March 2016 - Claims could be made online

    From March 2016 onwards, Universal Credit was rolled out in areas for anyone of working age making a new claim.

    The new areas were called full digital service areas. Claimants in those areas could make a claim for Universal Credit using the online system.

  6. April 2017 - Change in rules for claimants with children

    From April 2017 to December 2018, anyone in a full digital service area who was working age could start a claim for Universal Credit, as long as they didn't have three or more children.

    Anyone with three or more children who was already on Universal Credit would stay on Universal Credit, rather than be transferred to other benefits or tax credits.

The Clacton family struggling to afford shopping

Karen Prior, 53, is from Clacton. She lives with her husband, John, and their 12-year-old daughter.

She and her family applied for Universal Credit after John suffered an accident at work, reducing the family's fixed income significantly.

Their application was logged on November 8 this year, however the family say they still haven't heard how much they'll be receiving each month.

This is because claimants have to wait at least five weeks for their first payment, which can often prove a difficult period for financially vulnerable people.

Karen said: "They don’t tell you the exact amount you’re going to get, they offer an advance payment which you pay back over six months and this will help a little.

As of October 11 this year, 1.3million people in the UK were on Universal Credit

"Our direct debits don’t get paid and shopping is on a very tight budget. You can apply for a council tax rebate but by the time it’s sorted you're already behind.

In a Trussell Trust report released in October, the charity's chief executive, Emma Revie, said: “We created our benefits system in this country to free people from poverty, not lock them into it.

"As we look at the current plans for the next stage of Universal Credit, we’re really worried that our network of food banks could see a big increase in people needing help.

"Leaving three million people to wait at least five weeks for a first payment – especially when we have already decided they need support through our old benefits or tax credits system – is just not good enough."

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What does the government say?

Universal Credit is a government-run initiative controlled by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The system was introduced under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010 and was rolled out across the UK three years later.

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Universal Credit replaces an out-of-date, complex benefits system with cliff edges that disincentivised work and often trapped people in unemployment.”

Do you receive Universal Credit? Has it had a negative or positive impact on your life? Let us know in the comments.