Young couple lose unborn baby after Universal Credit error left them homeless and forced to sleep rough in a car park Debbie Ballard and Ryan Gifford, both 23, were kicked out of their home after missing an automatic rent payment during the changeover

A young couple lost their unborn baby after a Universal Credit error left them homeless and sleeping rough in a car park in the middle of winter.

Debbie Ballard and Ryan Gifford, both 23, were kicked out of their home after missing an automatic rent payment, due to being switched over to Universal Credit without their knowledge.

They were forced to sleep rough for 15 days, during which time Debbie had a miscarriage.

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‘I feel useless and worthless’

“Losing my baby makes me feel like shit. I feel useless and worthless,” she said.

“I was about six weeks pregnant when we were street homeless in December. I had a miscarriage because of all the stress.”

“All we want is a chance for us to be a proper family.”

The couple are now living in emergency accommodation.

Before being made homeless, Debbie and Ryan shared a flat in Plymouth. They had an argument which resulted in Ryan taking Debbie off his benefits claim.

They got back together, but the change in circumstance led to them being switched over to Universal Credit. The couple say they were never informed of the switch.

Couple evicted after Universal Credit bungle

Previously their rent had been paid to their landlord directly from their benefits, but a payment was missed in the changeover.

Their landlord then evicted them for being in arrears.

Debbie said: “It’s too late now. We should have been told that before we were made homeless.

“They said it was because of a change in circumstances. We were without money for eight weeks. We were literally begging and borrowing from everybody we knew. We were sleeping in a car park on the harbour. It was really horrible.

“It was so cold at night. If you go down to the bottom car park near the Harvester pub. It’s warm in there, but there’s an alarm that goes off every 10 minutes for 20 seconds. You can’t sleep but it’s warmer.

“When we were on the streets you felt like you were taking one step forward and four steps back.”

‘It’s going to be a nightmare’

Debbie and Ryan are now struggling to live on the £161 a month they get while in emergency accommodation.

“I am trying my hardest but I hit barriers everywhere I go,” she said.

“We have to pay £20 a time to wash and dry our clothes because there’s no washing facilities in temporary accommodation. Everything is really expensive. It’s really hard.”

Ryan added: “I want Universal Credit to stop. I think that now Universal Credit is coming in properly it’s going to get a lot worse. It’s going to be a nightmare.

“Everybody who has a drink or drug habit is going to be shoplifting to feed their habits.”

The couple received support from local homelessness charity People Assisting Torbay’s Homeless (PATH), where they now volunteer.

Universal Credit is fine ‘on paper’

PATH chairman Kath Friedrich said: “There is nothing wrong with the theory of Universal Credit. On paper it’s fine.

“But what’s causing all these problems is that all these pre-payment, backdated loans are handed out like sweeties to people who do not have budgeting skills while they are waiting for their Universal Credits.

“Then when they finally get their money all the loans are deducted. We’ve got lots of people coming in here who are only getting £10 a week to live on.

“Sometimes they are paying back old loans they didn’t even know they had.”

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “We are working with Mr Gifford to support him with his Universal Credit claim.

“If requested we can arrange for rent to be paid directly to the landlord.”