Charles K

So I was originally seven years ago on child tax credit and after divorce, while separation, I was forced to change to go into universal credit. The major struggle I found with that is I had six weeks, and this was over the Christmas period as well, six weeks of my only income being my carer's allowance, which went down by just over 30 pounds a week because it went from a couple joint claim to a single claim. And for some reason, that knocks the money down even though there's only one of you. And the child benefit was the only money we had coming in and my youngest DLA. So for six weeks we were literally living hand to mouth and having to use the food bank. The only drawback I found from going and switching to universal credit is the six weeks delay, although, yes, they do offer an advanced payment. I chose not to take this as I did not want to have a debt hanging over me. But with hindsight, I think I would have taken if I had to do it again, I would have taken the advance. But I originally found a massive struggle raising three children on my own with no income and everything stopped for six weeks.