I’m a single mum on benefits — this is exactly what I spend my money on

Welcome back to Me and My Money, Metro’s series taking a look at the UK’s spending and saving habits.

This week we meet Danielle Taylor*, 26, who is a single mother to a 4-year-old son who has a rare genetic condition that means he needs round-the-clock support.

Danielle, who lives in Greater Manchester, hopes to be able to work when her son starts school full-time from September.

Here, she explains how she manages without being able to earn an income.

Hi Danielle, tell us about yourself and your son

My son, Clayton, was born with a rare genetic condition that means he may never walk or talk. He also can’t eat and had a feeding tube fitted last month.

I’m a single parent with very little support, although I do get help from my family nearby and charities when I can. I’ve tried to apply for respite care, to give me a break, but I’ve been told Clayton’s needs aren’t high enough, although I think it’s more because of his young age.

Clayton is currently at pre-school, attending three hours a day term time. This will go up to standard school six-hour days when he starts reception at the same school in September.

I’m counting down the days, to be honest, because I’m hoping the longer days will give me a better chance at finding work – although my employer would have to be flexible and understanding of my situation. Because of Clayton’s condition, he needs 24/7 care all the time and he has various hospital appointments.

I don’t mind what kind of work I do. When I was younger I used to want to work with children with disabilities, helping them with sports and activities. But now I have a child with a disability myself, I want a break from caring for other people.

Talk us through your monthy income and spending

Because I don’t earn an income from work, I rely on benefits. I get Universal Credit of just over £1,000 a month and Clayton gets £740 through the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

This takes my total monthly income to £1,769, which typically pays the bills on my two-bedroom bungalow with not much to spare. Our rent of £432 a month is covered by the local authority and paid directly to the landlord.

My energy bill is around £250 a month, water £70 and I spend around £150 to £200 a month on food. I eat a lot of convenience food because Clayton is nil by mouth so I tend to make it easy for myself, but I’m aware I could spend less by doing more food prep. Clayton has prescribed milk and water through his feeding tube.

We find the money ok to manage on – it covers the bills and extras that Clayton wants or needs. He likes being outdoors, swimming and bubbles.

We have a taxi provided by the council to take him to school and back, but otherwise transport costs can be high for me as I tend to take taxis after having a bad experience on a crowded bus when there wasn’t enough space for Clayton’s adapted pushchair.

What are your biggest splurges?

I’m currently having driving lessons so that I’ll be able to drive us around. The lessons cost £345 for a block of 10 and I have a two-hour lesson every fortnight.

If I need to make any large purchases, I have the option to borrow the money. I’m signed up to Creditspring, a regulated responsible lender that doesn’t charge interest on its loans. I pay £10 a month to borrow up to £300 twice a year.

I recently borrowed £250 to buy Clayton an adapted ball pit and I’m currently paying the loan back at £50 a month. Clayton loves sensory experiences so it’s the best purchase I’ve got for him. He bangs his head a lot and this one has extra padding so it reduces the risk of him hurting himself.

What are your biggest financial challenges?

Clayton’s dad has never met Clayton since the day he was born. He just didn’t want to have kids. He was in the army and was worried he would be tied down. The relationship didn’t work out and I went it alone. He does not give any financial support and I’ve not been able to get anywhere legally.

When Clayton was little, he needed blood testing from his father to try to establish the genetic issue. I tried to persuade him to do a blood sample but he refused. I’ve also tried to go through the Child Maintenance Service (CSA) to claim financial support from Clayton’s dad. But the CSA said that because he has a common name and they didn’t know his address because he travelled with the army, I couldn’t get anywhere.

It’s disgraceful that men can get away with this.

I’d like to continue fighting for Clayton’s dad to support him but I don’t know where to go next. My next priorities are to pass my driving test and to get a job so I can earn money to give us better experiences.

*Surname changed.