Single mum forced to payday loans to fund childcare on Universal Credit takes DWP to court

Nichola Salvato, 38, is demanding the Government step up to make childcare work on the new system, after she went into more than £1000 in debt trying to take on a new job.

At the moment Brits on the new six-in-one benefits system can get up to 85 per cent of their costs back, but they have to pay the costs upfront.

The Sun is arguing as part of our Make Universal Credit Work campaign for help for those costs to be paid upfront.

Nichola, who lives in Brighton with her ten-year-old daughter, Sofia, says the system discriminates against women - and it goes against the principle of trying to help people back into work.

She told The Sun Online: "It was incredibly stressful - I was forced to borrow from my family, reduce my hours and take out several loans over a period of months.

Luckily her new job allowed her to cut her hours and work from home to make the situation work for her.

But she hopes the DWP will shake-up the system for it to help others in future get back into work.

A DWP spokesperson said: "We cannot comment on an ongoing case."

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