Glemsford woman raises awareness on impact of Universal Credit

A woman from Glemsford, who has suffered hardship as a result of changes to the benefits system, is raising awareness over the impact it can have on single parents.

Natasha Coffey, of Crownfield Road, is in her final year at the University of Suffolk studying a degree in psychology and sociology.

Following the roll-out of Universal Credit, the 32-year-old, who is a single parent, is now worse off by £75 a week, which equates to a loss of £3,420 a year.

As a result, Miss Coffey has been forced to use all her savings, which had been intended as a deposit for a mortgage on a house.

“I was making my own little nest egg, but now I have had to use it to keep afloat,” she said.

Miss Coffey decided to study for a degree with the long-term goal of pursuing a career in teaching and to provide a permanent home for her two daughters, aged seven and 11.

“I have always been independent of my own finances, so this is the first time I have had to live hand to mouth,” she said, adding that the option of studying a degree to gain qualifications and pursue a career may not be financially viable for some single parents on Universal Credit.

“Students are just going to look at the figures and think ‘I’m not going to be able to do this’,” she said.

Without any financial safety net, the mother-of-two says she would have had no other option but to leave university.

“If I hadn’t had any savings, I would have had to go back to work,” she said.

Miss Coffey has lobbied South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge for support over the matter.