My name is Renuka, I'm a freelance designer and writer, and I claim Universal Credit.
I'm not the archetype one might expect in this situation. I had the privilege of growing up in a well-off family, getting an education at an international school in Asia and then graduating with a degree from an amazing creative institute in the UK. The benefits and welfare system was not something I thought I needed to be familiar with, let alone something I’d actually need. But here I am.
On the 20th of every month, I log into my Universal Credit account. After diligently recording my earnings and expenses to the penny for the month – hands clenching a stack of receipts for fear of some sort of repudiation – I submit my claim. And when my statement comes in a few days later, I exhale in relief, thinking ‘Oh thank god, it's only a hundred pounds.’
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