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A single mum has said she is struggling to feed herself since switching to Universal Credit due to the crippling costs of nursery fees.

Kimberley Hill, 23, took the decision to switch to Universal Credit at the end of June because she thought it would be better for her family.

The mum, had to take an advanced loan of £1,000 to try to tide her over while her benefits stopped and Universal Credit started.

Her youngest son Austin, turned three in August , and she was surprised to be told she needed to get a job as the 'looking for work' age had reduced from having a child aged five to three.

However, by September 20 she had started a new part-time job in logistics admin.

(Image: Kimberly Hill)

As a working mum, she should now be entitled to 30 hours free childcare a week but she missed the deadline to apply (August 31) because she had not been intending to return to work before then.

It means she is now facing bills of £879 per month nursery fees plus £200 after school care for her five year old Wyatt - which is more than the £920 per month she is paid, BirminghamLive reports.

“I’m so saddened they expect me to return to work and are so eager for me to do so and, when I have found something, I have no support whatsoever,” said Kimberley, from Telford.

“My salary doesn’t even cover my childcare costs let alone any other bills. I cannot afford to pay for my childcare upfront. "

Working parents in receipt of Universal Credit can claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs but the bills need to be paid and then claimed back - something Kimberley is unable to do as her rent also needs to be paid upfront and her salary and Universal Credit are both paid in arrears.

The devoted mum is having to go in and out of hospital for digestive problems that doctors say are due to her diet and the lack of healthy food she eats.

“I feed the kids then I have whatever’s left over,” she said. “Healthy food is expensive, cheap food isn’t so much. The doctors say I’m not getting enough fruit and veg but I cannot comprehend spending much money on a meal. All I can afford is £1 pizza and £1 chips."

Due to the times Kimberley needs to drop off and collect Austin, she is having to pay for a full day’s nursery fee even though she is only working from 12pm to 5pm Monday to Friday. And she can only claim 15 free hours of childcare a week until her claim is upped to 30 hours in January.

She added: "I could understand them lowering the ‘looking for work’ age to four, which is school age, but with the price of nursery fees these days, to lower it to the age of three?

"No wonder some people choose to just pop another child out, probably an easier option because it’s so much stress, but that's having a child for the wrong reasons. I didn’t expect to be a single mum. I had been with my partner for years but it didn’t work out."

(Image: Kimberly Hill)

Switching to Universal Credit

Currently, Kimberley receives £1,049 Universal Credit per month but this will be reduced significantly when she starts receiving her monthly salary. She says that, after a £240 allowance, her payment will reduce by 63p for every pound she earns.

“I switched to Universal Credit because I was struggling to save my weekly income support benefits to pay my monthly bills,” said Kimberley, who says her mum and dad help her out when they can but that she doesn't like to ask them.

“I felt this decision would be best for me and my boys as Universal Credit is paid monthly. The first payment takes four to five weeks to come through but your benefits stop straight away.

"I had to try to find money for new uniform and shoes. I cannot get a credit card, overdraft or loans because of a debt relief order. I’ve had to call on a neighbour to borrow some money to pay my car insurance.

"Sometimes I wish I hadn’t come off income support because at least I had my bills paid. But it was hard if I needed a new tyre on my car or my son got a hole in his school jumper.

(Image: Kimberly Hill)

"It's confusing because the amount of Universal Credit I get changes every month depending on how much childcare I'm claiming and how much money I'm earning. But it feels like I get a lot less money now."

Flexible Support Fund

Work coaches in job centres are able to offer eligible claimants a Flexible Support Fund, which is a non-repayable award to h elp with upfront childcare costs in order to start work. Kimberley applied for this but said she was told she was likely to be denied as the amount she needed was high.

"I’m not looking for money I can blow on me, I’m just trying to do better for me and my kids," she said. "I don’t even know if I can cope with the stress or worry. I’m just taking it a day at a time and praying I get accepted for the Flexible Support Fund to tide me over.

"If I don’t then I'll have to quit my job and they will chase me to search for a new one. It will be a never ending circle."