Universal credit left Port Talbot woman 'penniless'

A woman from Port Talbot said she has been left penniless since signing up to universal credit.

The scheme rolls six working-age benefits into a single payment while stopping people being better off claiming benefits than working.

Geraldine Hill is one of 22,000 people in Wales on the system which has a six week wait for the first payment.

MPs have said the wait caused "acute financial difficulty" but Theresa May said the UK government was listening.

• What is universal credit?

"During those six weeks I've had to have crisis loans and social funding," said Ms Hill who signed up in the summer.

"I rely on people with their kindness with regards to getting by day to day food-wise.

"I'm living in my living room because I can't afford to heat all the house. I've got an electric fire and a blanket over the door and I just take each day as it comes."

'Cruel'

Universal credit has been introduced in stages to different groups of claimants over the past four years and is gradually being rolled out across Wales.

But the Work and Pensions select committee said the "cruel" six-week waiting time for universal credit should be cut to a maximum of one month because of the impact it has.

The prime minister defended the concept which she said was a "simpler" system that "makes sure work pays" but added changes were being made.

Ms Hill said she has started to pay back some of the money and is trying to stay positive.

She added: "There are people out there who are a lot more worse off than me.

"At least I've got a roof over my head at the moment but I did worry that I would lose it because of the rent I've ended up in debt with.

"I haven't got a penny to my name. The only money I get is the universal credit and it doesn't leave me much change."