A mother of four children who receives nearly £4,000 monthly in Universal Credit payments has revealed she's still struggling financially and fears she won't be able to afford Christmas this year.
Viral TikTok confession
Millie, a content creator, has gone viral on TikTok after sharing her financial struggles despite receiving what many would consider a substantial benefits payment. The mum confessed she is "still skint" and worried about covering Christmas costs for her family.
In November, Millie received £3,900 from Universal Credit but explained she already has "next to no money" left after essential expenses. Her situation highlights the ongoing cost of living pressures facing families across the UK, even those receiving significant government support.
The reality of raising four children
Millie has four young children aged five, three, one, and three months. She emphasised that there's "always" at least one child needing new items as they're "growing like there's no tomorrow."
"People always seem surprised when I say that I've got like barely nothing in the bank after they hear how much UC I get," Millie shared. "But I think what they forget is that that's me, that's for the essentials, that's just your survival to live."
She stressed that after paying for everything her children genuinely need, there's "literally nothing left" from her benefits payment. Millie acknowledged her responsibility to provide for her children, anticipating criticism from social media commenters.
Additional income struggles
Earlier this year, Millie revealed she had turned to car boot sales to generate extra income for her family. "I was doing the car boot purely because I don't have any other money," she explained. "And that's just the reality of it."
The mum expressed solidarity with others in similar situations, noting that many people feel the same financial pressure but face stereotypes about "young ones with kids or benefits."
To qualify for Universal Credit from the Department for Work and Pensions, applicants must meet specific criteria including living in the UK, being aged 18 or over (with limited exceptions for 15 to 17-year-olds), being under State Pension age, and having £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.
Millie's story has sparked broader conversations about the adequacy of benefits payments amid rising living costs and whether the current system provides enough support for larger families facing today's economic challenges.
