Single Mother Voices Frustration as Universal credit โขFalls Short of Nursery Costs
December 2, 2025 – A single mother is expressing her dismay โat โtheโ limitations of universal Credit (UC) asโฃ she faces a ยฃ541 monthly nursery bill despite โขcurrently beingโค unemployed. Katie-Mae, โคa mother whose story gained traction on TikTok, highlighted the financial โstrain of childcare costs, sparking a debate online aboutโ support for working parents and the adequacy ofโ the UK’s benefits system.
The situation underscores a growing challenge for manny single-parentโ families:โ the escalating โขcost ofโข childcare often outweighs the financial assistance available through UC,creating a barrier โto employment.While UC aims to provide a safety net and incentivize work, โขcritics argue that theโค current โขlevels of โฃsupportโฃ are insufficient to cover essential expenses like nursery fees, effectively trapping parents in a cycle of financial hardship. Katie-Mae’s experience is resonating with others, prompting callsโ for increased government investment in affordable childcare solutions.
Katie-Mae initially shared her โstrugglesโ on โTikTok,โ detailing her difficulty inโ balancing the โขneed to find employment with the prohibitive cost of childcare. She โขcurrently receives Universal Credit but anticipates โit will only cover aโฃ portion of the ยฃ541 nursery bill.
Responses to her video were mixed. Some commenters suggested reducingโ expenses, such as selling her car, or seeking entry-level employment to cover the costs.โ One user advised,”Get rid of the car,it’s a luxury not a necessity.” Another stated, “Just get a basic job that requiresโฃ no skills so that you’re employed andโ got the nursery,โข then start looking โfor something you want to โdo.”
Though, others offered more critical perspectives. One commenter asserted,”This is why it’s important to build a life for yourself first before bringing a child into the world.” Another directly told Katie-Mae,”Having a child was your choice. I am sure there is help outโ there.”
Katie-Mae responded to the advice, โstating, “I’ve been trying.”
The case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the accessibility โคand affordability of childcare in the UK, and the effectiveness of the Universal Credit system in supporting families.The Sun recentlyโฃ launched โits “Sunโข Club”โข membership โprogram, offering access to exclusive award-winning articles.
