I was working three jobs. A benefits calculator saved my family

Yahoo

8 hours ago

Single parent Esther is one of 900,000 people who have discovered they are missing out on a benefit this year alone.
A single mum who was in such financial difficulty she feared social services would take her children into care has praised the "life-changing" hack that revealed she was owed thousands of pounds in unclaimed benefits.
Esther, a single mum from south west London, was juggling three jobs to support her three young sons — one child and a set of twins — aged eight and six. Two have complex needs and are neurodiverse.
The single mum told Yahoo News she was pushed to breaking point, and was signed off work by her doctor.
Left without a working washing machine over winter and dealing with skyrocketing heating bills, Esther was then told about charity Turn2Us's benefits calculator, a tool where she could find out if she was entitled to any financial help from the government.
She then discovered she'd been missing out on child benefit, as well as the carer's element of universal credit — allowing her to pay off mounting debts and purchase a new washing machine.
She has spoken to Yahoo News to highlight the "hope and dignity" the benefits payments gave her, she said the money has made it easier for her to juggle the challenges of work with caring responsibilities, challenge the stigma of claiming benefits, and how the right support allowed her to be more present for her children.
'It makes you feel like you've failed as a parent'
The single parent told Yahoo News she wants everyone to try out the benefits calculator as it's "in everyone's interest" for families like hers to receive the right support.
Esther said she does not want families to "reach breaking point" like she did, and get help as soon as they need it.
"When I came across the benefits calculator, I was kind of making ends meet, like a lot of people do, until you just can't any more," Esther told Yahoo News.
"I was working for more than full-time and looking after my children, two of which have complex needs. I was working the equivalent of 50 hours a week.
"I was depressed, but I felt like I had a very practical problem causing my distress – I didn't have enough money and I was very tired.
"There is nothing more depressing than being in a situation where you feel like you can't provide. It makes you feel like you've failed as a parent," she added.
'It wasn't just money - it gave my family hope and dignity'
While her GP had suggested she looked at the benefits calculator, it was when her children's social worker mentioned it in a meeting that she took a look.
"In December, the heating bills went up. The boys don't understand putting on clothes even though the house was freezing, the boiler broke, the food bank vouchers weren't working and the social worker came into my home and was like this is not conducive," she told Yahoo News.
"At one point, I honestly thought the social worker would take my children away because I was worried I couldn't meet their needs.
"I said that I had been put in an impossible situation. The social worker then brought up the benefits calculator."
Esther filled out the online form, which calculated whether she was entitled to any support after asking her some questions about her income, rental payments and family.
'The calculator is very very straightforward. I think benefits can seem intimidating but the calculator just asks you questions even at certain stages and justifies why it's asking you that question," she told Yahoo News.
"It's quick, it literally took me two and a half minutes. It doesn't cost anything and you lose nothing from trying."
It was then Esther discovered she was entitled to child benefit, which she had never claimed, as well as the carers element of universal credit.
"I was not just entitled to these payments, but some were backdated," she said. "I didn't realise I'd be eligible for child benefit, or that my role parenting my children with complex needs went beyond what a parent normally does.
"Backdating means a lot. It meant I was able to pay debts, I didn't have to survive with a broke washing machine, which I associated as a luxury."
Now, Esther is urging everyone to check what they're entitled to through the benefits calculator.
"It wasn't just money; it gave my family hope, dignity, and the basics my children need. I tell everyone: you never know who might need that lifeline," she added.
How do I check if I'm entitled to support?
Benefits calculator provider Turn2Us said it has helped 900,000 people in the last year through its benefits calculator, who claimed more than £9.6bn in benefits support they didn't realise they were entitled to.
The charity has urged families to check the benefits calculator, highlighting that millions in vital benefits support goes unclaimed each year.
'Our data shows that there is support available for many, but all too often it's difficult to find," Anna Stevenson, Benefits Expert at Turn2us, said.
"The Turn2us Benefits Calculator cuts through the confusion. It's fast, free and completely anonymous. Just a few minutes could help you uncover extra cash you didn't even know you could claim.
"We know it's tough right now, especially with back-to-school costs stacking up and household bills climbing; don't wait until things get harder - check now and ease the pressure on your family'.
A DWP spokesperson said: 'Millions of people rely on our welfare system every year and it is vital that it can be accessed by all who need it.
'We promote benefits through public communications campaigns and provide funding for the free Help to Claim service provided by Citizens Advice to support people to make a claim.
'Alongside this, we are fixing the broken welfare system we inherited so it genuinely supports those who can work into employment, while ensuring there is always a safety net for the most vulnerable.'