Summer holidays are a nightmare as a single mum – people treat me like a scumbag for claiming benefits, but I can’t work
FOR some parents, the summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to spend time with their children.
But not for single mum Amy Rose Jackson who finds the six long weeks stressful.
The brunette beauty – whose only family is her dad – recently took to TikTok to rant about trying to work whilst her daughter was off from school.
”God forbid my wages are £1 under the Universal Credit [threshold] – because then I am treated like the absolute scumbag of the earth.”
Amy, who claimed to have had a job since the age of 14, said it was never planned ”to have a child with someone and it not working out”.
”I’ve worked my whole entire life – and you know, life happens. I work as much as I can and it’s still deemed not good enough, constantly,” she bravely opened up in the video.
Amy added that she also wasn’t too keen to have a ”dusty” childminder look after her daughter whilst she was at work and that her former partner ”can do anything whenever he wants”.
Unlike the father of the child who, she said, can also work with no problem, Amy always needs to think ”twice” and consider all aspects.
According to the singleton, even the ten-hour shift that she works once a week ”is a ball-ache”, as she needs to leave earlier ”nine out of ten times”.
Although her employer has been accommodating, Amy revealed she wasn’t happy about having to drive for half an hour to pick her girl up – and then have the school-goer wait at her workplace.
Seeking advice on ways to rake in cash at home, the frustrated mum admitted that she lived ”week to week” and had ”no savings” to fall back on.
”Sometimes, I could just cry – cause it feels too much,” said Amy who insisted she deserved help.
”I’ve worked my whole life, never borrowed money – everything I’ve done I’ve done on my f***ing own, and I continue to.”
The young woman – who said she was willing to ”sell feet pics” – claimed that despite having applied to six cleaning jobs in the past week, she hadn’t heard anything back so far.
The stress was only been made worse after Universal Credit allegedly deducted around £500 from Amy’s benefits due to her missing a phone call.
”I’m down again, I’m in debt again, I’m suffocating again.”
Since being posted online, the clip has garnered a little over 15k views, with dozens racing to comments to share their thoughts and help.
One mum wrote: ”Only way to do it is be self employed, or find a job that is flexible/school hours, and then UC will pay 85% holiday club costs at OFSTED registered place. I feel you totally.”
Everything you need to know about Universal Credit
- What is Universal Credit? Everything you need to know including how to apply
- Universal Credit calculator: How much can I claim and how do I apply?
- Universal Credit login: How do I sign in to my online account?
- How much can I earn before Universal Credit is reduced and do I get a work allowance?
- What is a Universal Credit advance payment? How to apply and pay it back
- Are Universal Credit payments going up and how much more will I get?
- How to claim Universal Credit if you’re self-employed
- How many hours can I work on Universal Credit and will my payment be reduced?
- What is a Universal Credit budgeting advance and how much could I get?
- What is the Universal Credit housing element and how much of your rent does it pay?
Another parent who’s in a similar situation wrote: ”The only solution I’ve found is using my annual leave as childcare .”
Someone else advised: ”Are you entitled to free meals? If so then Google FSM holiday club – often free or very cheap.
”My youngest isn’t entitled so not looked at them but my older kids have been before £4 a day I think!”
A parent chimed in: ”There’s clubs that you can book them in to I guess depending on where you live maybe?
”In Hertfordshire you get a code from the school and can book clubs for your kids for free. They get fed too.”