The Benefits Labyrinth: Tracy Finds Her Way Through

When Tracy moved from Working Tax Credits to Universal Credit, nothing about her circumstances changed – she was still a single mum working as a support worker on national living wage. Yet suddenly, she found herself without access to free prescriptions, dental care and glasses that she'd previously relied on. "I had emergency dental treatment more or less as soon as I migrated over to universal credit... and I had to pay for it."

Tracy's story reveals the hidden complexities in our welfare system that can leave working families in precarious positions. Despite working in the same care role for 20 years, she struggles with an income that fluctuates month to month based on sleep shifts, childcare challenges, and a Universal Credit system that penalizes her for earning extra one month by reducing her benefits the next.