Universal Credit leaves dad-of-two with just £4 forcing him to sleep rough
Chris Wallace claims he had to rely on foodbanks and soup kitchens after the £60-a-week hostel he was staying in asked for a fortnight's payment up front.
The dad of two received a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions informing he would be switching to Universal Credit but wouldn't be paid for ten weeks.
The changeover means he couldn't fork out the £120 he needed for the hostel as he won't receive another benefit payment until February 2019, Hull Daily Mail reports.
He said: "I was in a hostel but they threw me out because after one week they were asking for me two weeks’ rent and I was waiting for Universal Credit to kick in.
"They said I wouldn’t get paid for another 10 weeks and I was evicted. I was left sleeping in a doorway and I was thinking, ‘What is happening?’
“I found myself walking round the city centre asking people for spare change and it is degrading.
"I am supposed to be trying to help the homeless and be there for them but I was actually a homeless person.”
Former alcoholic Chris has managed to secure a two-bedroom house through ReNew, which helps people with drug and alcohol problems in Hill.
But he now has just £4.45 to his name and won't even be able to buy Christmas presents for his two children.
And the dad won't even be able to see the kids this year as they both live in London.
He said: "It’s heart-wrenching.
"They live in London with my ex-wife and come to see me every other weekend and all I wanted was to look over my dining table at them and see them enjoy a Christmas meal and open their presents."
Universal Credit – the controversial benefits system
The welfare scheme is designed to wrap a number of benefits into a single monthly payment.
Those benefits replaced include:
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Working Tax Credit
The Government had said that three million working households would see cash gains from Universal Credit.
Treasury officials said a couple with two children where one parent earns £30,000 a year would benefit by £425.
A single parent with one child and no housing costs earning £15,000 a year will get £170 more.
It has previously been criticised for lengthy delays to benefit payments, with a third of families having to wait six weeks for their first instalments.
By 2022, it is expected there will be a full roll out across the UK.
Chris has been receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and was previously on Universal Credit while living in London.
He claims he was given advances to help him while waiting to receive his benefits but currently has to wait ten weeks.
The dad added: "The prospect of the next few weeks is frightening and I don’t know how I’m going to survive one day to the next."
The Universal Credit policy is one of the most controversial policies rolled out by the Conservative Government in recent years.
What to do if you have problems claiming Universal Credit
IF you're experiencing trouble applying for your Universal Credit, or the payments just don't cover costs, here are your options:
Apply for an advance – Claimants are able to get some cash within five days rather than waiting weeks for their first payment. But it's a loan which means the repayments will be automatically deducted from your future Universal Credit pay out.
Alternative Payment Arrangements– If you're falling behind on rent, you or your landlord may be able to apply for an APA which will get your payment sent directly to your landlord. You might also be able to change your payments to get them more frequently, or you can split the payments if you're part of a couple.
Budgeting Advance – You may be able to get help from the government to help with emergency household costs of up to £348 if you're single, £464 if you're part of a couple or £812 if you have children. These are only in cases like your cooker breaking down or for help getting a job. You'll have to repay the advance through your regular Universal Credit payments. You'll still have to repay the loan, even if you stop claiming for Universal Credit.
Cut your Council Tax – You might be able to get a discount on your Council Tax or be entitled to Discretionary Housing Payments if your payments aren't enough to cover your rent.
Foodbanks – If you're really hard up and struggling to buy food and toiletries, you can find your local foodbank who will provide you with help for free. You can find your nearest one on the Trussel Trust website.
The aim is to simplify the welfare system by replacing different benefits for things like jobseeker's allowance or housing benefit with a single monthly payment.
The Government had said that three million working households would see cash gains from Universal Credit.
Supporters say it is easier to understand than previous systems but critics argue it can leave people without any income for weeks.
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