Universal Credit shambles meant I couldn’t even afford to bury my husband
Hayley Reay, 43, was left with no money when she lost her husband Dave earlier this year - she even had to pay for his funeral on credit card
WHEN Hayley Reay's husband Dave passed away in her arms from lung cancer at just 57 last year, her world collapsed.
The next day, as she struggled to come to terms with his death, she was dealt another blow - her benefits had been stopped as a result, leaving her unable to even afford to bury the man she loved.
After Dave's death the couple's £1,350 a month income support and carer's allowances were immediately stopped, and Hayley was told she would have to apply for Universal Credit instead.
She had just £140 in the bank and with no savings she had no idea how she would pay for her rent, let alone pay for a funeral.
It left her without any cash while she waited five weeks for her first payment.
To get by, Hayley, 43, felt she had no choice but to put everything - including her husband's funeral - on credit card and ended up with £5,000 worth of debt.
“I could have had a paupers’ funeral but that wasn’t something I could face," said Hayley. “He needed to be brought home and have a proper funeral - and there was no other way of getting the funeral costs down.”
Hayley is just one of the thousands of people who have struggled after being moved on to the controversial welfare system, as highlighted by our Make Universal Credit Work campaign.
Dave worked as a truck driver for 35 years, while Hayley worked as a carer until 2016, when she was forced to give up her job after she discovered she had a blood clotting disorder which means she could collapse at any time.
She also suffers from fibromyalgia, a long-term condition which causes pain all over the body.
"It's been absolutely heartbreaking," said Hayley. "Dave passed away in hospital when we were trying to move him back home. It was soul destroying.
"Dave would have been absolutely devastated at what they’ve put me through" she said.
"He had tattoos from head to foot, with a big goatee beard but the biggest heart you could imagine.
"I think it's only in the last week or so that things have started to hit that he's gone. I've been living in a bit of a dreamworld, texting his phone and pretending that he was still here."
Are you on Universal Credit? Tell us your story. Email: universalcredit@the-sun.co.uk and join our Universal Credit Facebook group.
Hayley was given a funeral payment of £1,600 by DWP, as well as an additional £2,500 bereavement payment to cover rent and bills while she waited for Universal Credit.
But her weekly rent was £100 and Dave’s funeral alone cost £4,000.
You can get a Universal Credit advance while you wait for your first payment, but Hayley didn’t apply for this as she was worried about the repayments.
“My bereavement counsellor says I haven’t able been able to grieve losing my husband because of everything else I’ve had to battle with, and I agree," she said.
The Sun wants to Make Universal Credit Work
Universal Credit replaces six benefits with a single monthly payment.
One million people are already receiving it and by the time the system is fully rolled out in 2023, nearly 7 million will be on it.
But there are big problems with the flagship new system - it takes 5 weeks to get the first payment and it could leave some families worse off by thousands of pounds a year.
And while working families can claim back up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, they must find the money to pay for childcare upfront - we’ve heard of families waiting up to 6 months for the money.
Working parents across the country told us they’ve been unable to take on more hours - or have even turned down better paid jobs or more hours because of the amount they get their benefits cut.
It’s time to Make Universal Credit work. We want the government to:
- Get paid faster: The Government must slash the time Brits wait for their first Universal Credit payments from five to two weeks, helping stop 7 million from being pushed into debt.
- Keep more of what you earn: The work allowance should be increased and the taper rate should be slashed from from 63p to 50p, helping at least 4 million families.
- Don’t get punished for having a family: Parents should get the 85 per cent of the money they can claim for childcare upfront instead of being paid in arrears.
Together, these changes will help Make Universal Credit Work.
Join our Universal Credit Facebook group or email UniversalCredit@the-sun.co.uk to share your story.
“I got by on the very, very basics. Had it been winter when all of this happened I don’t know how I would have survived – it would have been a choice between food and heating.
“I am extremely worried and anxious about the future."
Hayley says she now gets £317 Universal Credit for bills and living costs and £350 a month for rent - £433 less a month than the couple previously got.
She also didn't realise until a few months after that she was entitled to a Universal Credit top-up of £300 a month due to her disabilities - something she only found out about after turning to charity Citizens Advice for help.
On top of everything else, Hayley claims she was wasn’t told that her Council Tax wouldn’t be paid directly to the council, meaning she now owes £1,000 in bills.
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 Trussell Trust website.
Hayley has taken out a debt relief order (DRO), which wipes out debts when you’re unable to repay them.
A DRO will stay on your credit record for six years, which can make it difficult to get credit or find a new home in the future.
“I am also worried about future debt - even though the DRO order is in place it sometimes worries me that if a large bill came in or something broke, like my oven, that there isn’t any spare money to buy things like that.”
Despite all this, Hayley has set up a fundraiser on Facebook to raise money for Trussell Trust run foodbanks in Hartlepool.
Hayley has never needed to use a foodbank herself, but says that despite her hardship, there are others in a much worse position.
“People are being brought to their knees by Universal Credit and this suffering is so, so wrong,” said Hayley.
At the time of writing, 36 people had donated £681 towards Hayley's £1,000 target.
Make Universal Credit Work
A DWP spokesperson said: “When a person dies it can be incredibly upsetting and difficult.
“A person’s claim to benefits ends when they die, and this can sometimes leave their partner without any financial support.
“Jobcentre staff set people up with their own claim as quickly as possible, to ensure they are receiving payments.
“They can also signpost to counselling and support services, remove requirements to look for work, set up bereavement benefits and help with the cost of the funeral.”
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