As an international I’m not entitled to claim any benefits.

When a disabled child leaves full time education at age 19, the

child health element is lost from the parent's claim. Then the adult child needs to claim UC separately, even through they have the same disability they had before they turned 19.

Having to start again by handing in fit notes from GP for 12 weeks and completing the UC50 form and go through the health assessment is extra stress upon the unpaid parent carer, already doing the job of professionals due to council and NHS budget cuts.

How can any MP justify the worth of a child is X amount but only worth 1/4 of this amount be cause they simply turned 19?

Not only does it suggest MP's are not convinced young adults are genuinely disabled and in need of support, its causing the private support already in place for a child to be removed, which impacts both the disabled young adult and unpaid parent carer's mental health with the change to routine and less time for the unpaid carer to have a break from caring duties.

Expecting the disabled young adult to search for work is unecessary and puts pressure on the young disabled adult which can set their confidnce back.

The added poverty of waiting the 12 weeks + more ( if the DWP decides the adult child is eligible for the health element) is cruel.

A young adult with a disability is still very much reliant on a parent/carer, therefore there is no need for DWP to change rules that make their lives more difficult.

All this policy does is cause more poor mental health.

The kids face pressure. My youngest struggles with acceptance because we can't afford the things the other kids possess. Yet I remind her how important kindness is compared to the clothes she wears. School grades have suffered as well. I know the grades have nothing to do with the lack of effort. She's stressed. When the world at home weighs so heavily, finding emphasis at school proves to be a feat.

I've just been drained this term. What with the bills, letters from school, and other things, I don't have a drop of energy left. Some days I feel like crying, but I continue for the children's sake. The kids understand my stress. I can see it through their behavior. They are more quiet, more sensitive. It just reminds me that poverty isn't just about money; it's about the whole family's peace of mind.

This term has been quite trying, but the kids seem to have gotten stronger. They’re looking out for each other more, and we’ve learned to make the best of the situation. All I can hope for at this point is that things get easier. The cost of living has impacted the way we live our lives. I used to treat the kids to a few things each week. Now we just can’t afford to.

Despite the hardships, I try to remain hopeful. The school has been understanding, and that means a lot. All I want for my kids is the ability to get an education and dream big without the worry of money in their minds. The fact that some kids have more advantages than others has become apparent. My son realises this whenever he can’t go somewhere or get things that his friends have.

“Why does it feel like the poverty policy is targeting hard working individuals, and make them feel like a personal failure instead of a national one?” I'm thinking of the word poverty itself. It seems like its targeting individuals - even those working 12 hour shifts but are still struggling. It's like we are doing something wrong no matter how hard we work.

For Universal Credit to be enough to live off as well as a full-time wage.

I have to work two jobs or we simply would not get by.

Also the amounts change each month so you can never really plan for things as they change it. I’ve also had to use food banks before pay day if it’s been a month when money has been short.

Well, let’s just say we’re doing the best we can. I'm proud of my kids for appreciating the little things in life. Even when we have less than other families, we manage to find ways to laugh together. To me, the most stressful aspect has been dealing with the hidden fees. School lunch money, uniforms, and non-uniform days. Trips. Every week seems like a challenge.

Well, we've reduced the amounts we’ve been packing in the lunch because we rely more on free school lunch. I'm thankful for the service. However, the fact that we need assistance isn’t easy to admit. The teachers have been very supportive. Yet the kids seem tired all the time. This must be because the kids realise the struggles I'm going through even when they tell me not to worry.

There’s a lot going on each week. Food costs, rent money, uniforms. It’s like juggling. Just when we thought we had things under control, a crisis comes up. This week we’ve had some problems with class due to my daughter feeling anxious. It’s hard getting the best out of her when we’re all surrounded by so many question marks. Even me.

Universal credit needs to be fit for purpose and increased so I can pay bills, go to the supermarket buy food, toilet roll, pay the rent, and extra things you need to live day-by-day. It should not create poverty or deprive myself or child of a good upbringing and it should create opportunities.

I used to look forward to back-to-school time. Now it only scares the living daylights out of me. The expenses add up faster than I get paid. Plus, holding everything together for the kids has been exhausting. Just doing the homework has been a challenge. I don’t have a laptop at home. Using the phone isn’t exactly easy. I think the schools should realise how tough things can be when families can’t afford the same tools.