BENEFIT BLOW
I’m a 24-year-old mum-of-3 on UC – I work at Tesco but here’s the real reason why I’m begging strangers online for help
Scroll down for help on how much Universal Credit you may be entitled to
A YOUNG mother works at Tesco but is now begging strangers online for help.
Cerys Elizabeth, a 24-year-old from Wales, is currently on a journey to be “debt free”.
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But the mum-of-three who has a six-year-old, five-year-old and four-year-old, claimed that the nursery fees for her youngest child are more than she gets paid per hour.
Not only this, but Cerys admitted that she may have to “give up” her supermarket job as she is under threat of no longer receiving a contribution to her nursery fees.
Posting on social media, the blonde beauty begged strangers for help as she uploaded a clip with the caption “One last try” and the hashtag #helpmeplease.
Cerys then revealed: “I'm a working mum on Universal Credit that might have to give up their job.”
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Cerys acknowledged that she lives in Wales and is a recipient of 30 hours free nursery education from the Welsh Government.
However, she stressed that to get the free childcare hours, you must meet a set of criteria.
Cerys continued: “I am only contracted to 15 [hours] but I do roughly 10 to 20 hours of overtime a week - I'm hitting 30, 35 hours."
In order to qualify for free childcare, you must work at least 16 hours a week, as Cerys recognised: “I had a notification on my portal saying ‘your free childcare is under review, we're gonna look into this, we don't think you're working enough.’”
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As a result, Cerys has had to provide “payslip after payslip” and has even had to share her “Universal Credit payment breakdowns where they show that they're taking £500/£600 a month away from me because of my earnings from work.”
Cerys acknowledged that if she loses her free childcare, she will have to quit her job, as is only paid £12.45 an hour and her childcare cost will be £13.50 an hour.
I'm a mum-of-5 on £1.5K Universal Credit per month - people think I'm popping kids out to get 'lots of money’ but I still have to use food banks - its embarrassing
As a result, she stressed: “My childcare literally costs an extra pound versus what I'm paid - I wouldn't be able to afford it, I cannot afford it.”
Cerys has now amassed over 7,700 followers on TikTok and needs 10,000 to start earning cash through the platform’s Creator Fund.
How much Universal Credit can you get?
TRYING to work out how much Universal Credit you can get can be overwhelming.
There are so many different elements that can affect your claim and it makes the whole process even more complicated.
There are several free calculators that you can use to help you get an estimate, such as and
You will need:
- Details of all your income, such as existing benefits, tax credits, earnings from employment and your pensions,
- Details of your partner's income if you're married, in a civil partnership or living with someone as a couple. You will be assessed as a couple
- Information on any savings you have,
- How much you pay in council tax per year, and whether you get any discounts, reductions or exemptions,
- Details of your rent or mortgage payments,
- Employment and income information about anyone else living with you, such as grown-up children,
- Details about your carer's allowance if you receive it.
You'll need to make sure that the information provided is as accurate as possible to get the truest estimate.
She then continued: “I am just surviving, so please, if there is just one video you sit here and engage with and there's one account that you follow today, can you please make it mine?”
The aspiring content creator confessed that she is trying to get herself in a position to have another income stream, so that she can pay for her son's childcare “if the worst comes.”
Social media users react
The TikTok clip, which was published under the username @, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 178,000 views in just 24 hours.
Commenting to support
TikTok user
Not only this, but it’s also 16,700 likes and 1,221 comments, as many eagerly raced to share messages of love and support.
One person said: “Commenting so you get paid!”
What help is available to parents for childcare costs?
CHILDCARE can be a costly business. Here is how you can get help.
- 30 hours of free childcare - Parents of three and four-year-olds can apply for 30 hours of free childcare a week.
To qualify you must work at least 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage and earn less than £100,000 a year. - Tax credits - For children under 20, some families can get help with childcare costs.
- Tax-free childcare - Available to working families and the self-employed, for every £8 you put in the government will add an extra £2.
Another added: “Fill the jar with hearts.”
A third commented: “Commenting to support.”
At the same time, someone else asked: “£13.50 an hour?? Is that for one child??”
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To this, Cerys confirmed: “Yes, just the one.”
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